KEY POINTS:
Police say the number of drivers speeding near schools is continuing to drop.
"We are pleased to see that at last the message is finally getting through," national road policing manager Superintendent Dave Cliff said today.
Mr Cliff said that not only would lives have been saved, but the reduced speeds meant there was less pressure around schools.
"Children are being encouraged to walk to school and we are pleased to be able to help make the areas around schools safer," he said.
Since they launched their campaign against speeding drivers near schools in February last year, police have issued more than 100,000 speed camera notices and another 6715 officer-issued tickets.
The highest speed recorded was 119km/h in a 50km/h zone.
The campaign was initiated to reduce the number of child pedestrian and cyclist casualties, especially during the high-risk morning and afternoon periods of the school day.
From February 7 last year police introduced a strict enforcement of more than 5km/h over the speed limit to raise awareness of the risk that speed poses to children who are usually on foot and much more vulnerable than adults.
In February this year the enforcement threshold was reduced so that drivers at more than 4km/h over the speed limit would be ticketed.
Mr Cliff said police had also extended the hours of operation to include enforcement at any times schools operated, including events such as after school activities or weekend sporting events.
- NZPA
