A state-wide traffic operation was conducted yesterday as children returned to school for another term.
On Monday, 29 April police patrolled 141 schools across South Australia under Operation Return to School.
Fifty-three expiation notices were issued for offences including:
- 29 fines for exceeding the speed limit
- 2 fines for use mobile phone while driving
- 5 fines for driving an unregistered/uninsured motor vehicle
- 1 driver tested positive for drugs (methamphetamine)
- 1 fine issued for disobey stop sign
- 1 fine issued fail to wear seatbelt
Nine defect notices were also issued.
A 31-year-old woman from the Port Pirie area was detected travelling at 139km/h in a 100km/h area, with three children in the car with her. She was issued a fine over the matter.
A 39-year-old man from Tanunda tested positive to methamphetamine in the vicinity of a school. No other people were in the car with him. He was issued a driver direction notice preventing him from driving for 24 hours and may face further penalties once his drug sample has been forensically analysed.
"These results are alarming given the warning police issued that we would be proactively monitoring schools as the year began," said Superintendent Bob Gray, the officer in charge of the SA Police Traffic Support Branch.
"These are among the most vulnerable members of our community, and we will continue to proactively police school zones.
"It is vital that the community pay attention to speed limits and drive appropriately maintained vehicles.
"The public can expect that police will continue to enforce the laws in relation to the five key factors that lead to serious and fatal crashes – excessive speed, distraction, seatbelt use, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or illicit drugs and other dangerous driving practices."
