WA Police confirm more than 300 drivers caught speeding in Perth school zones on students’ first day back

More than 300 drivers were caught speeding in school zones across the city on the first day back at school this week, police have revealed. The West Australian can reveal police conducted an operation focusing on school zones on Monday, which found hundreds of drivers flagrantly thumbing their nose at the safety of school children. Police caught 308 drivers speeding, with each of them to receive speeding fines in their letter boxes. A further 102 drivers were stopped and asked to undergo a random breath test. Just one driver was charged with driving with an alcohol blood limit higher than .05. Commander Mike Peters, of road policing command, said the results were alarming. “While it is pleasing to see the majority of drivers were not driving under the influence of alcohol or committing hoon offences, it is very concerning more than 300 drivers were speeding in school zones across the metropolitan area,” he said. “Safety measures around school zones are in place for a very good reason, to protect children who are considered vulnerable road users around school grounds. “I continue to urge motorists to take care on our roads and not put themselves or other people at risk.” Public school students returned to school for Term 3 on Monday. Police will continue to focus on school zones for the rest of the term, using both speed cameras and patrolling officers. There have been several concerning examples of dangerous behavior in school zones recently, including when a motorcyclist was allegedly caught speeding at 73km/h over the 40km/h speed limit in April. The man was allegedly clocked riding 113km/h, with police seizing his Suzuki motorbike. In the same month, a woman was allegedly caught with a blood alcohol reading four times the legal limit in Piara Waters. A Year 3 Bayswater Primary School student was hit by a car at a school crossing, also in May, prompting cameras to be installed to monitor traffic in the area. Last year, police revealed the handed out more than 400 speeding fines in one afternoon at a school crossing outside Presbyterian Ladies’ College in Peppermint Grove. Drivers caught speeding at less than 9km/h can be hit with a $100 fine, while those caught speeding between 9km/h and 19km/h can be fined $200 and hit with two demerit points, while those caught speeding at more than 40km/h can be fined $1200 and be given seven demerit points.