Worst school zones for speeding across Sydney, regional NSW revealed

A shocking 183,000 fines have been issued to drivers in school zones, with more than 70 per cent of those when kids are heading to and from school. See the state’s worst city and regional zones.

Speeding hotspots in school zones have been listed. Picture: Mark Scott

More than 70 per cent of all school zone speeding offences occurred during active school hours when kids were heading to and from the classroom, according to alarming new data.

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal of the 183,000 school zone fines racked up by reckless drivers since July last year, 125,000 were clocked during the busiest hours of the school day.

According to the statistics, more than 340 drivers are choosing to speed past young children every day across the state.

As students prepare to head back to school on Monday, motorists are reminded to slow down around schools, particularly sites where drivers have been caught speeding the most.

A camera outside Old Guildford Public School in Chester Hill has recorded the most speeding drivers in the state with more than 8600 fines issued in the last year, including a driver caught doing 110km/h during school hours.

More than 70 per cent of all school zone speeding offences occur during school hours.

Victoria Road in Ryde, near St Charles and The Sacred Heart of God’s Catholic Primary School, caught the second greatest number of speeders with 7313 drivers stung since July.

The Princes Highway in Kogarah, Hume Highway in Yagoona and Cleveland Street in Moore Park, next to Sydney Boys and Sydney Girls High Schools, rounded out the top five worst school speeding zones in Sydney with more than 5000 fines each.

Majority of these speeding offences occurred when 40km/h school zones are active between 8-9.30am and 2.30-4pm on school days.

Regional areas have also seen reckless and dangerous drivers tear through school zones.

The Pacific Highway at Ourimbah on The Central Coast had two of the worst speeding sites, including outside Ourimbah Public School, followed by two zones on the Princes Highway in Wollongong.

But the Pacific Highway at Gateshead in the north was the worst location with 3288 fines.

Since 2019, 106 pedestrians between the ages of 5 and 16 have been hit by vehicles in active school zones, killing two children and seriously injuring 38.

The Minns government has installed more than 6800 school zone flashing lights, including a new signage trial near Newcastle.

NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison. Photo: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

But Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said drivers need to show more respect for school zones and the kids who rely on them for protection each day.

“Over 125,000 people made the decision to speed in an active school zone last year. That’s 125,000 drivers who made the selfish decision to put children’s lives at risk,” Ms Aitchison said.

“We need motorists to be alert and to slow down. There’s no excuse for speeding around schools.

“As we head into the second half of the school year, I’m calling on every motorist to put safety first. Any death on our roads is one too many, and being a good role model around kids is the first step in shaping safe drivers for the future.”

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Originally published as Worst school zones for speeding across Sydney, regional NSW revealed