Kamloops RCMP say a large number of drivers on Westsyde Road don’t appear to have noticed that Westsyde Elementary re-opened this year.
Cpl. Jodi Shelkie says the re-opening of the school in September came with a new 30 km/hr speed zone, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days.
“Speed Watch volunteers were at Westsyde Elementary on September 22 and 365 vehicles went through and over 60 per cent of them were speeding,” Shelkie said. “And then on October 17, 331 were checked, and again over 40 per cent were speeding.”
Shelkie says 27 speeding tickets have so far been issued to drivers near Westsyde Elementary – 20 of those on September 23, and the other seven on October 17.
“People really need to get it into their mindset that whether they are heading north and doing 60 km/hr or whether they are coming south and have gone from 80 km/hr to 60 km/hr, that they really need to slow down at Westsyde Elementary to 30 km/hr,” Shelkie added.
Given the location of the school, she says its important that drivers slow down.
“There’s no buffer zone between the school and the road. There is no playground that is between the school and the road,” she said. “It’s just the school and then directly on to the road.
Speed Watch volunteers will once again be set up at the school tomorrow morning, October 29, to raise more awareness.
The fines for speeding in a school or playground zone range from $196 to $253.
Speeding Stats:
September 22 – 365 vehicles clocked between 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
- 125 vehicles doing 1-10 km/h over the speed limit
- 45 vehicles doing 11-20 km/h over
- 32 vehicles doing 21-30 km/h over
- 18 vehicles doing 31-40 km/h over
- Four vehicles doing 41+ km/h over
October 17 – 311 vehicles clocked between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
- 107 vehicles doing 1-10 km/h over the speed limit
- 19 vehicles doing 11-20 km/h over
- 3 vehicles doing 21-30 km/h over
- 10 vehicles doing 31-40 km/h over
