PLAYING WITH OUR KIDS’ LIVES
More than 200 drivers busted for offences in school zones in just five days
HUNDREDS of leadfoot drivers are flouting road rules in school zones and putting the lives of children at risk. Police nabbed 221 law-breaking motorists across Surf Coast school zones during a five-day crackdown. One driver was 40km/h over the limit, while 16 others were 25km/h over the limit.
POLICE say hundreds of leadfoot drivers are flouting road rules in school zones and putting the lives of vulnerable children at risk.
Police nabbed 221 lawbreaking motorists across Surf Coast school zones during a five-day crackdown.
One driver was caught travelling 40km/h over the limit in a school zone, while 16 others were detected at 25km/h over the limit.
A further 141 drivers were 15km/h over the posted limit.
Geelong highway patrol Senior Sergeant Craig Stevens said it was “disappointing” that 190 speeding offences had been detected in 40km/h school zones across Torquay, Lorne, Anglesea and Winchelsea.
Police also issued 10 infringement notices to drivers found using a phone while driving, and allegedly detected one unlicensed driver.
A further 217 drivers were fined during a separate fourday road safety crackdown over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
“It shows the level of noncompliance in 40km/h zones. There is a lot of work to be done,” Sergeant Stevens said.
He said police had ramped up patrols around schools after complaints from school crossing supervisors, parents and principals.
He said police would look to work with the council and other authorities to improve signs near schools to try to prevent offences happening.
“Children are out most vulnerable road users,” Sergeant Stevens said.
“They have a lack of road awareness and motorists have to reduce their speed to look after the safety of children in those school zones.”
Sergeant Stevens said a lack of awareness and carelessness were key factors behind speeding in school zones.
“Sometimes it takes enforcement to change behaviour and that’s what we’ve achieved,” he said.
“As a result of that heavy enforcement, we’ve already seen a significant decrease in offending.”
Across Victoria, 5000 offences
were detected over the long weekend.
In the Geelong and Surf Coast region, police detected 11 drug-drivers and seven drinkdrivers, including a 60-yearold Smythesdale man who allegedly returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.320.
Sergeant Stevens said that alleged reading was “astonishing” and said removing impaired drivers from the roads was a priority for police.
Victoria Police assistant commissioner of road policing Glenn Weir said police would continue to target those who engaged in risky behaviour.
“It was pleasing to see the majority of road users doing the right thing over the Queen’s Birthday weekend, with reduced levels of road trauma overall,” Mr Weir said.
“However, it’s completely unacceptable that so many motorists are continuing to take risks on our roads – especially with wet weather to contend with.
“We continue to detect a high number of speeding and unauthorised drivers.
“These are people that are making a conscious decision to blatantly disregard the road rules.”