SCHOOL zones return to operation across New South Wales today, as students begin Term 3 this week.
Students at Moree Secondary College, Moree Public School and Moree East Public School head back to the classrooms tomorrow, Tuesday, July 22, with Moree Christian School students returning today.
School zones, with 40kph limits, will be active from 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm on school days.
Sobering new data shows more than 183,000 school zone speeding offences were recorded in New South Wales in the last financial year.
Alarmingly, nearly 70 per cent of offences occurred during active school zone hours – more than 340 drivers every day speeding past schools and young children.
Since 2019, 106 pedestrians aged five to 16 years have been hit by vehicles in active school zones. Two children have been killed and 38 seriously injured.
More than 6800 school zone flashing lights now installed across New South Wales, with around 1500 school crossing supervisors supporting more than 1000 schools.
Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said school is back, and so are school zones.
“But the data we released (on Sunday) shows too many drivers haven’t been getting the message”, she said.
“More than 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.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
