From RCIPS

The new RCIPS Eastern Districts Road Policing Unit (EDRPU), commenced duty on Monday 28 March, and spent their first week focusing on traffic movement through the districts’ school zones.  This included static officers monitoring the zones, where speed limits change to 15MPH during school drop off and pick up times, and issuing warnings and tickets where appropriate. 

Over the course of the week, the EDRPU issued 62 tickets, 46 of which were for speeding offences. In seven of these speeding offences, the motorist was found to be travelling more than double the school zone speed limit.

Unit manager PS Joleta Wolliston said, “over the course of the week my team saw many motorists driving above the 15MPH speed limit through the school zones, when the reduced speed limit warning lights were flashing”. PS Wolliston wants to remind the public of the importance of slowing down through school zones. “Children are unpredictable and can dart out from behind parked cars onto the roadway at any moment. This is why it is vital to abide by the 15MPH speed limit during the specified times in school zones, in order to enable our children to get safely to and from school.”

Over the coming weeks PS Wolliston’s team will be paying special attention to Eastern Districts school areas during key times when the lights are flashing, and issuing tickets or sending Traffic Offence Reports (TOR) for anyone who exceeds the sum of $500.00. If you receive a TOR you will need to attend court and may lose your license for a period of time.  The cost per mile over the speed limit of 15MPH whilst lights are flashing is $40.00 per 1MPH over. 

“We want to emphasis to motorists that speeding is really not worth the risk when you weight up the potential outcomes,” says Inspector Andre Tahal, Head of the RCIPS Traffic and Road Policing Unit.  “Not only are you endangering yourself, your passengers and other road users when you speed, but also, when you are caught, your wallet and your lifestyle take a hit too when you find yourself paying fines or losing your license for a period of time.  Please slow down, particularly in school zones, and always drive with consideration of other road users.”