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64 P.A. drivers fined in school zones

Oct 25, 2017 | 8:00 AM

Speeding in a school zone can not only dangerous, but a big dent on your wallet too. 

Over 430 drivers were fined on-the-spot for speeding in school zones around the province last month, and 64 of those were in Prince Albert.

“It’s an expensive lesson to learn,” Tyler McMurchy with SGI said following the September spotlight on school zone safety initiative. “The base fine for speeding in a school zone is double what a regular speeding fine is.”

Those start at $140 with a $50 victim of crime surcharge, plus additional fines for every kilometer over the limit.

While the stats aren’t good, McMurchy said things look better than the last few years. There were 678 on-the-spot fines handed out during the same initiative in September 2016 and 640 in 2015.

McMurchy called that “somewhat encouraging” and said the numbers also followed a trend in areas where there were photo speed enforcement cameras set up in school zones.

Over 1,500 fines were issued last month via photo speed enforcement, which is a big decline from the 2,700 issued in 2016. Photo enforcement in school zones is a pilot project currently operating in selected areas in Regina, Saskatoon, and Moose Jaw.

School zone speed limits and the times they’re in effect can differ depending on location. McMurchy said, for instance, in some cities the enforcement is seven days a week but not over the summer months.

Prince Albert has a 30 km/h speed limit 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days. McMurchy said it’s up to drivers to know the rules.

“It’s important for drivers to know the posted limits wherever they’re travelling and to obey them.”

 

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