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Saskatoon police enforcing school zones as students head back to class

With students heading back to the classroom, Saskatoon Police are reminding drivers to obey school zone signs. Derek Putz / Global News

Saskatoon police are targeting school zone speeders as children return to school.

The first day of school is Sept. 3, and Staff Sgt. Patrick Barbar said members of the traffic unit will be enforcing speed limits around Ernest Linder School in Hampton Village.

The school zone speed limit is 30 km/h, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. between September and June.

“The reason 30 km/h was chosen, [is because] there was some research done showing if a car driving at 50 km/h strikes a pedestrian, there is a 20 per cent chance of survival,” he said. “At 30 km/h it jumps up to 90 percent.”
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During the 2018-19 school year, police issued 2,305 speeding tickets in school zones, not including photo radar. That’s up from the 2,235 tickets issued in 2017-18.

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A driver caught going 20 km/h over the speed limit faces a $310 ticket, said Barbar.

Officers will also be targeting drivers who are making U-turns in school zones.

“The reason U-turns are illegal is because as you’re making a U-turn, your field of vision is somewhat compromised, ” he said.

“You can’t actually see where your car is going and smaller children especially might run across the street when they aren’t expecting that kind of manoeuvre.”

Police said 354 tickets were issued last year, carrying a fine of $90 each.

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