School zones come into effect Wednesday, Aug. 31 and motorists are advised to slow down in those areas on school days between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
“Any day that school is in session, the speed limit in school zones is 30 km per hour,” said Aaron Giesbrecht, manager of policing services for the City of St. Albert.
A high proportion of vehicles that are tagged for speeding, do so in school zones, Giesbrecht said. His statistics show that in 2009 and 2010 the speeders caught in school zones were consistent at 11 to 22 kilometres over the 30 km/hour posted limit.
Getting flagged for going 15 km/h over the speed limit brings a fine of $89. For 20 km/h over, the fine is $124; 25 km/h over is $150 and 50 km/h over the speed limit brings a fine of $351.
“After that there is a mandatory court appearance,” Giesbrecht said.
For those drivers who may perceive that they are in control at 50 km/h, Giesbrecht points out that a vehicle in proper working order travelling at that speed takes 37 metres to stop.
The two longest school zones in St. Albert are in Forest Lawn on Cunningham Road and along Sir Winston Churchill Avenue.
“Between signs, for example between Leo Nickerson School and Paul Kane School, there is one huge school zone. The speed limit is 30 km/h unless you see a sign that tells you differently,” Giesbrecht said.
“It’s the same between signs on Sir Winston Churchill Avenue because there are two schools there, and a park, and the track and Lorne Akins just around the corner,” he said, stressing that the school zone program remains in place as the best way to keep students safe.
St. Albert RCMP, St. Albert Municipal Enforcement and photo enforcement units will be jointly monitoring and enforcing school zone speed limits throughout the city beginning Aug. 31. In addition, the two trailers that flash a motorist’s speed will be deployed at various locations throughout the city.
