School zones the target for council rangers and police

SPEEDING and red light camera fines in school zones raked in $25,262,041 last year for the NSW Government. Now that school’s back police are out in force again.

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SCHOOL’S back and, as kids return to the classroom, council rangers and police return to patrolling school zones. Across the state last year, school zone fines for speeding and red light camera offences raked in over $25m for the government.

Police have said they will be targeting driving offences in February, including speed, fatigue, drink driving, restraints, and mobile phone offences.

With extra demerit points, and heftier fines for school zone offences, drivers should proceed with caution when driving near schools.

An emphasis on targeting school zones is something police and councils have been concentrating on for some time and, over 2014-2015, the NSW Department of State Revenue processed 100,411 speeding and red light camera infringement notices in school zones, for $25,262,041.

$25,262,041 was raised last financial year from speeding and red light camera infringement notices in school zones. Picture: Craig Wilson

Meanwhile, 30,071 parking fines in school zones, for $8,106,568 were also garnered.

In the inner west, Strathfield Council rangers pinged the least number of parking offenders (175), while Marrickville Council completed 661 notices.

The City of Canada Bay issued 545 parking fines in school zones, and Burwood Council was out in force with 444 fines.

Ashfield Council (283) and Leichhardt Council (258) did not issue so many.

Burwood Council’s Road Safety Officer Meg Pigram said that council rangers and police are vigilant around schools (particularly at this time of year) because of the unpredictable nature of kids and the desire to keep them safe.

Megan Pigram says there is no excuse for endangering children’s lives. Picture: Craig Wilson

“Police will crack down on a number of traffic related offences across several Sydney suburbs during February — one being Burwood,” Ms Pigram said. “While we can’t highlight specifics we can say that there will be an increased presence and a zero tolerance approach to all speed, fatigue, alcohol, restraint and mobile phone offences.

“These factors play a significant role in our crash statistics in the inner west and we will continue to drive home the message and make no apologies for keeping all road users safe on our roads.

“Children are vulnerable road users. They are at risk in the traffic environment because of their size, their difficulty in judging speed and distance, as well as the fact that they may behave unpredictably.

“Motorists will need to pay extra attention with schools reopening as there are more buses and cyclists on the roads and young pedestrians crossing the streets.

“Over the long summer break it is easy to forget just how busy the areas around schools can get.

“I urge all motorists throughout the inner west to pay extra attention over the next few weeks

to make the roads safer for local children as the new school year commences.”

Sergeant Dean La Greca from Burwood Highway and Traffic Patrol said there are 40km/h school speed zones in existence around all schools in NSW.

These school zones are operational from 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm on school days.

“It is important that drivers slowdown in school zones so they are in a better position to react

to the unpredictable behaviour of schoolchildren as well as the busy traffic environment,” Mr La Greca said.

But the 40km/h school zone speed limit alone is not enough to keep children safe.

WHAT YOU’LL PAY

● Stop on/near children’s crossing (school zone) - $425 and two demerit points

● Exceed speed over 45km/h (school zone) - $3,740 and seven demerit points

● Double park (school zone) - $319 and two demerit points

● Drive using mobile phone (school zone) - $425 and four demerit points

KEEP KIDS SAFE

● Always make sure your children wear a seat belt or use a child restraint when travelling in a car

● Child restraint laws state that children up to seven years of age must be restrained in an approved child restraint

● The laws also state that in cars with more than two rows of seats, children aged between four and seven years can only travel in the front seat if the back seat is full of younger passengers

● Always drop-off and pick-up your children on the school side of the road.

● Make sure children use the footpath-side door when getting in and out of a car

● Never call your children across the road to you

● Use a pedestrian crossing where possible

● Children aged up to 10 years old should always be supervised when near traffic

● Children aged up to eight years old should always hold an adult’s hand when crossing the

road or walking near traffic

● Make sure your children always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle

● If your children catch a bus to school always walk with them to the bus stop.