$210,000 in funding has been secured to upgrade parking at Donnybrook District High School's (DDHS) Mead Street campus.
An additional 40 marked parking bays, two disabled bays, school bus parking and enhanced traffic calming measures will be installed at the school in the September 2014 school holidays.
DDHS parent Jill Tuia said the need for parking at the site had been an ongoing problem over the years, with parking spaces not keeping pace with the school's student capacity.
She said the school had been working with the Education Department to improve the parking areas when the upgrades to buildings took place in recent years, with new buildings along Mead Street meaning more parents used the road to drop their children off.
"In August 2013 my son Euan was walking up the footpath to school when a car crossed the footpath and narrowly missed him," Mrs Tuia said.
"He was okay, but it was close. I then became aware the school were still in negotiations about parking," she said.
"They had come up with a traffic management plan, which they okayed with the Shire and with Main Roads, but they were still waiting for funding."
Bollards were placed along the footpath as a temporary measure following the incident.
Mrs Tuia then spoke to School Board Chair Pip Murdock, as well as writing to local MPs and to Education Minister Peter Collier saying the school needed help to fix the parking or there was a risk a child would die.
South West MLC Nigel Hallett's office agreed there was an issue and represented the school to Mr Collier, which resulted in a representative from the Education Department's works department meeting with key stakeholders.
"He recognised something needed to be done," Mrs Tuia said.
The outcome of the meeting was that the Donnybrook-Balingup Shire will carry out the necessary works, and the Education Department will fund it.
"The school and the shire both deserve praise for making this happen," Mrs Tuia said.
"It was good Nigel Hallett's office got on board too.
"I felt so strongly that if you identify a hazard there's a legal obligation to fix it."
Mrs Tuia said she was very relieved the issue had been resolved.
Mr Hallett commended the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup for working tirelessly with the School to formulate a workable solution to improving traffic flow and providing a safe school environment for local children.
"The improvements will not only create a more efficient and safe use of an existing parking space, it will reduce congestion, improve traffic flow and improve streetscape aesthetics," he said.
All new parking facilities will be provided with paths linking in with the existing path network for students walking and cycling to and from school.
