Speeding in school zones cost NSW drivers $25m

A phenomenal number of NSW drivers have been caught speeding in school zones this financial year, racking up $25 million in fines and triggering desperate calls for people to slow down.

More than 100,000 drivers have already been caught speeding in school zones this financial year, racking up an incredible $25 million in fines and triggering desperate calls for people to slow down.

Most of the fines were for motorists exceeding the 40km/h limit by 10km/h or less but six drivers copped fines of $2778 each for speeding through school zones at 85km/h or more at Moore Park, North Narrabeen and Miranda. In one instance, in Balgowlah in December, police detected a 17-year-old P-plater driving at 91km/h in an active school zone while passing a “bus stop full of schoolchildren right next to the roadway”.

Many other drivers were caught out on pupil-free days, while others were caught at the edge of the school time zones, which run from 8am to 9.30am and again from 2.30pm to 4pm.

NSW Secondary Principals Council president Craig Petersen was shocked by the statistics but maintained that “most people do the right thing, most of the time”.

“Every kilometre counts – people shouldn’t underestimate the difference 5 or 10km/h can make in terms of your ability to stop,” he said.

Motorists slow as they approach a school zone at Narrabeen, NSW. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“That’s important everywhere, and around every school, but particularly around primary schools where younger children are less easy to see, and less predictable in terms of their behaviour.

“It’s up to every driver to be mindful around schools and to look after the safety of students and children.”

Motorists are urged to stick to speed limits in school zones. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Transport for NSW deputy secretary of safety, environment and regulation Sally Webb agreed, urging motorists to stick to speed limits in school zones.

“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. However, this responsibility is significantly amplified for all road users when children are involved, as children are still learning to navigate the road environment and develop their sense of danger,” she said.

“Even a small difference in vehicle speed can make a large difference to the likelihood of death or serious injury. If a car hits a pedestrian at 50 km/h, the impact is twice as likely to kill the pedestrian than if the car had been travelling at 40 km/h.”

Almost 92,000 drivers were caught by fixed speed cameras at school zones across NSW from July 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023, raising more than $24 million.

A further 3566 motorists were fined by NSW Police in that time, adding another $1.2 million to the state’s coffers.

The figures for March have not yet been released but, once factored in, the total number of fines would easily surpass 100,000.

This January, with only three school days and two of them pupil-free, Revenue NSW issued 3215 fines in school zones, worth close to $100,000.

In February almost 11,500 fines were issued from fixed cameras, raising almost $4 million in revenue.

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury urged motorists to be aware of when school zones were enforced, with every school zone in NSW featuring at least one set of flashing lights as a warning.

“School zones are some of the safest places to drive. The crash statistics are very good and we want to keep it that way,” he said.

“However, we are seeing some unsafe behaviour during pick up and drop off times, with some parents stopping in unsafe locations when there’s lots of traffic and visibility around cars is reduced.

“This is only increasing as more and more people are working from home since the pandemic and are driving their children to school and picking them up, so there’s less students using public transport or walking.

“We know also that at-risk periods continue to occur around school holiday periods, with drivers unwittingly booked on pupil-free days at the end or start of terms.

“We do a lot of work around school zone safety but these figures show that we have a lot more to do to drive home the message that it’s important to stay diligent around school zones at all times.”

Ms Webb said school zones were active on any publicly notified school day, including student-free days. because government and non-government schools may have differing term dates and children may still be attending before and after school care.

“By consistently operating school zones on student-free days, there is more clarity for motorists, who are then more likely to comply with the speed limits,” she said.

For instance, school zones will be in operation on Monday, April 24, which coincides with the Anzac long weekend double demerit period.

Fines vary from $2778 for exceeding the speed in a school zone by 45km/h or more, to $1224 for exceeding the speed by over 30km/h; $632 for over 20km/h; $379 for over 10km/h and $211 for 10km or under.

All fines from camera-detected offences, such as speeding, go into the Community Road Safety Fund, which is used on critical safety initiatives.