By NICOLE VALICEK
POLICE in Hobsons Bay will be cracking down on school safety zones and have warned motorists to slow down.
Senior Constable Adam Jones from the Hobsons Bay Highway Patrol said police launched Operation Elementary last Wednesday.
Sen Const Jones said drivers have been warned that school is back and they must obey 40km/h zones and reduced speed areas around schools – or risk being fined.
“It’s a wake-up call for people who enjoyed the two week holidays that it’s unacceptable to speed in school zones,” Sen Const Jones said.
Operation Elementary was conducted across school zones in Hobsons Bay as part of a three-day blitz from 8-10 October but Sen Const Jones said police will continue to crackdown on speeding motorists around schools.
On the first day of the operation and within 25 minutes there was seven offences detected for excessive speed around schools.
One person was fined $469 and gained four demerit points and had their licence suspended for one month; two people were fined $397 and gained four demerit points and their licence was also suspended for one month and four people were fined $289 and were given three demerit points.
Sen Const Jones said there are a couple of schools in the area that are deemed high risk locations, including the intersection at Millers and Mason roads, Altona North.
“The message were trying to convey at all times is it’s unacceptable to speed in a school zone.”
He said 40km/h speed limits were in place to protect children.
“Children have that tendency to run out in front of cars or between cars and especially on major roads where there is high amount of traffic you need to keep an eye out for children.
“That’s why we drop the speeds down and that’s why we’re out there strictly enforcing it.”
Sen Const Jones said October is also Safe Cycle month.
Police will be cracking down on unsafe cycling behaviour but also rewarding good behaviour.
Police will target things like cyclists not wearing a helmet with offences facing fines of up to $160.
“We’ve got such a large biking community in the Williamstown, Altona area. Mostly were targeting people who are committing bike offences but we will also talk to people that are doing the right thing.”
