A total of 43 school zone sites will now allow mobile speed cameras in an attempt to reduce speeding and improve road safety around schools, Minister for Road Safety Shane Rattenbury said. Gold Creek School is the only school in Gungahlin where a mobile speed camera can be used.
“Last year the ACT Government announced it would expand the number of locations where mobile speed vans could be located, including allowing them in school zones for the first time,” said Mr Rattenbury.
“The initial expansion included 52 additional sites, and focused on sites with a history of crashes. This year the expansion is focusing on school zones.
“Children are our most vulnerable road users and people who speed in school zones put children’s lives at risk.
“When I speak to parents and teachers at schools, one of the biggest concerns they have is road safety.
“The 40km/h speed limits in place around school zones aim to provide a safe environment for our children.
“Children do not have the developmental skills to make the crucial decisions to keep them safe when crossing the road. If a child runs onto the road 30 metres ahead of you while you’re driving at 50km/h in a school zone, you won’t be able to stop in time.
“We must ensure we have measures in place that deter and penalise those who break the law and put lives at risk by speeding.
“Mobile speed vans are a proven deterrent when it comes to speeding and it makes sense that we should allow these in schools zones, which is why I introduced regulation changes last year to support the use of mobile speed cameras on any road in the ACT.
“Schools across Canberra are now being assessed in order to confirm their suitability for mobile speed vans. The remaining 50 school sites will be assessed this year, and if suitable they will become part of our mobile camera expansion program.“Mobile speed cameras have been deployed to school zones over 200 times since the launch of school zone operations in October last year. Over this period the cameras have checked the speed of over 80,000 vehicles with 1,177 camera detected speeding infringements being issued.
“The highest speed detected was 40km/h over the posted speed limit at Radford College.”
“The key focus of the ACT Road Safety Action Plan 2016-2020 is to improve road safety for vulnerable road users, including addressing driver behaviour and road safety in and around our schools.
“Mobile cameras are just part of a range of new measures to improve road safety at schools. Other measures include the Active Streets Program which involves the use of 30km/h speed zones around high risk schools and dragon’s teeth road markings to further alert drivers on entry to school speed zones.
“The ACT Government works with schools and ACT Policing to ensure that we address risk taking behaviour around schools,” Mr Rattenbury said.
All mobile speed camera locations can be found at www.justice.act.gov.au.
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