Police urge motorists to slow down at schools after 24 drivers caught speeding in a single day
MOTORISTS are being urged to slow down near schools in Inverness after 24 drivers were stopped for speeding during lunch time at a single primary.
Officers stopped all of the drivers near Hilton Primary last Thursday – just days after the school reopened following the summer break.
Police are reporting one of the drivers to the procurator fiscal, while two received a conditional offer of a fixed penalty notice and the remainder have been given warnings.
Road policing Sergeant Gus Murray said: “It is incredibly disappointing to have stopped this many vehicles being driven irresponsibly near a primary school in such a short space of time.
“It is well documented that the greater the speed then the greater the risk to a pedestrian.
“Near schools this means that a speeding driver is putting the lives of children at risk – this is not tolerated, either by us or the wider community.
“All motorists need to be persuaded that driving at inappropriate speeds is not a minor, technical offence that everyone commits. It is a serious, dangerous and antisocial activity. We will continue to carry out enforcement activity near schools to stop those who continue to ignore the dangers.”
Areas around many of the city’s school have temporary reductions of speed limits to 20mph at times which are particularly busy for children entering and leaving premises.
A police spokesman said: “It has been documented that about five per cent of pedestrians would die when struck by a vehicle travelling at 20mph increasing to about 40 per cent for vehicles travelling at 30mph, about 80 per cent for vehicles travelling at 40mph and close to 100 per cent for speeds over 50mph.
Many schools in the Highlands have 20mph limits during school hours and drivers are advised to be aware of the local limits.”
