Police nab speeders on the first day of school

As students returned to school Tuesday Sept. 5, police charged close to 30 people with traffic infractions in Greater Sudbury school zones.

A school principal was even caught driving 24 km/h above the limit at 8:30 am in front of his own school.

"Obviously people just don't get the message," said Sgt. Gary Lavoie with the traffic management unit, adding police usually don't enforce the speed limits in school zones on the first day, but rather on a complaint by complaint basis.  

"Every year we get countless complaints of people speeding in the school zones as well as people failing to stop for school bus lights. This year we decided that we're going to start enforcing it right from the get-go," he said.

Lavoie also said the police will continue to enforce the speed limit in school zones, not just in certain parts of the city, but in all areas.

"We can go to any school zone and lay charges. I don't think you can zero it in to one particular school zone," he said.

On the first day of school, police charged 21 people with speeding in school zones, seven people with speeding in the area of schools, one person was charges with failing to stop for the lights of a school bus and five others were charged with related Highway Traffic Act offenses.

Police are also investigating two complaints of individuals not stopping for the a school bus with its lights flashing. They're subject to being hit with $490 fine.

Lavoie said when it comes to school zones, it's not a matter of education but rather common sense.

"In school zones, the speed limits are reduced for a purpose. Kids are boarding and discharging school buses and they're running around all over the place and sometimes won't be aware of the traffic that's going by," he said.

"We want to ensure there is no tragedy. I've been a police officer for 24 years and have had the opportunity to investigating fatalities in school zones.

"We just want to make sure families are protected, their kids are protected and we're going to have a zero tolerance within the zones."