PRINCE GEORGE, BC: The Prince George RCMP has released its school zone enforcement results and this year is worse than the previous… 

During the first two weeks of the school year, the Prince George RCMP’s Municipal Traffic Services Section patrolled every one of the 37 elementary and secondary schools in the City of Prince George and surrounding communities.

The purpose of this enforcement was to remind motorists that children were back at school for the year, through enhanced enforcement of the school zones, playground zones, and nearby roadways.

During this campaign, 278 provincial violation tickets were issued for speeding offences. Of that, eight drivers were issued excessive speeding tickets, including one driver that was 65 km/hour above the posted limit of 30 km/hour. Those eight drivers had their vehicles impounded for seven days.

Here are the remaining results:

• 17 seatbelt tickets
• 1 improperly restrained child
• 2 cell phone tickets
• 2 intersection-related violations
• 1 24-hr suspension for drugs
• 42 other tickets under the Motor Vehicle Act and its Regulations

In total, 379 tickets were issued during this project.

The RCMP will continue to patrol school and playground zones throughout the year.  On a day when school is in-session, School Zone speed limits are 30 km per hour, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, unless otherwise posted.  

Playground Zone speed limits are 30 km per hour, from dawn until dusk, every day without exception.

“Despite our public warnings to slow down in school zones, nearly 300 tickets were issued for speeding in just nine school days” says Sgt. Matt LaBelle, in charge of the Prince George RCMP’s Municipal Traffic Services Section. “This is not safe for children. We will continue to enforce speed limits in areas where children are vulnerable.”

In addition to the School Zone enforcement, RCMP volunteers with the Citizens on Patrol Program conducted Speed Watch throughout several school zones over the first nine days of school.

Citizens on Patrol volunteers observed approximately 541 vehicles and found over 232 motorists driving over the posted 30 km/hour school zone limit. Although this year the total number of observed vehicles is half of last year’s total; the number of total speeding vehicles has doubled, up from 114 in 2016 to 232 at present.

“40% of vehicles observed this year during back to school campaign were exceeding the posted 30 kilometre per hour school zone limit” says Mike Burt, Program Coordinator for Citizens on Patrol.  “That is a very concerning trend.”

Those drivers that went through a Speed Watch station but did not get stopped by police officers, will likely receive a warning letter in the mail. The letter, from the Detachment’s Community Policing Section, will explain the offence(s) observed and what the penalty could have been.

For more information on Citizens on Patrol or to learn about crime prevention, go to www.princegeorge.rcmp.ca.  As an alternative, contact the Prince George RCMP’s Community Policing Office by calling (250)561-3366 or dropping by the office located at 455 Victoria Street, Prince George.

Written and released by Prince George RCMP