REGINA -- Students are back to learning in the classroom, but many drivers still need to be taught to slow down in school zones, based on early September numbers from the Regina Police Service.
Sgt. Rob Collins with RPS says a total of over 2,000 speeding tickets were handed out in the city’s school zones during the month of September by both officers and photo radar.
Along with kids returning to school at the start of the month, Regina also introduced its reduced 30 km/h speed limit, lowered from the former limit of 40.
Not slowing down from the city’s regular 50km/h speed limit in a school zone can cost you around $310 in fines, but even only slowing down to the former 40 limit can be costly.
“Just even a 10 kilometre over, you’re looking at a $270 fine,” Collins said. “It’s going to be very expensive; SGI will attach those safety points, so it’s well worth the five or six seconds to slow down.”
Meanwhile SGI is again offering a reminder of why schools have reduced speeds in the first place.
“Kids don’t always follow the rules, don’t always cross when they’re supposed to, so it’s really important for drivers to slow down, to avoid and distractions and keep those kids safe,” said Tyler McMurchy with SGI.
Police say the number of tickets issued comes down to increased enforcement during back-to-school. As the school year continues on, police plan to keep up enforcement whenever reduced speed limits around schools are in effect.
