January 24, 2014
It’s back to school on Tuesday … so it’s time for drivers to take extra care, and beware, around school zones.
Kingaroy Police Officer-in-Charge Senior Sergeant Duane Frank said police would be out in force to make sure drivers were obeying the speed limits in school zones.
In Kingaroy, police have most trouble with drivers on Walter Road (the D’Aguilar Highway) outside Taabinga State School.
Snr Sgt Frank said many drivers did not expect to find a school zone on a major highway but the level of traffic on the road made it critical that drivers slow down to 40km/h.
Police regularly do radar patrols in this area.
In 2013, police issued more than 27,500 traffic infringements across Queensland for speeding in school zones.
Acting Police Minister John McVeigh said today by slowing down by just a few kilometres an hour, drivers could prevent a tragedy.
He reminded motorists that children were often unpredictable.
“Children may duck out onto the road or misjudge traffic,” Mr McVeigh said.
Drivers should also keep an eye out for children on bikes, be alert near school buses and obey directions from school crossing supervisors.
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School zone times vary across the local region:
- South Burnett Regional Council – 8:00am-9:30am and 2:30pm-4:00pm
- Toowoomba Regional Council – 7:00am–9:00am and 2:00pm–4:00pm
- Gympie Regional Council – 7:30am-9:30am and 2:00pm-4:00pm
