Speeding in school zones: Doubled fines

Having a lead foot in a school zone will now cost you a whole lot more. As of August 1, anyone violating the speed limit in school zones will be hit with double the fine during the school year. The message is clear: the safety of our children is non-negotiable.

Under the old rules, motorists caught driving 70 km/h in a 30 km/h school zone were fined $175 (plus fees). The same speeding ticket will now cost motorists $350 (plus fees) for violations occurring while school is in session (weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. from September to June). So it’s a good idea to ease off on the gas pedal! 

Stress and speed: A dangerous combination 

“The hectic pace of modern life can cause a lot of stress. And when stressed people are in a hurry, they tend to drive faster,” says CAA-Quebec Foundation Director Marco Harrison. “Speeding increases the risk of causing an accident.  And that’s particularly dangerous in areas with a lot of pedestrian traffic, like school zones, so it’s important to discourage people from speeding.” 

Concrete efforts to raise awareness

Road safety has been central to CAA-Quebec’s mission for over 100 years. CAA-Quebec has committed to improving road safety in school zones by taking part in projects such as Vision Zero by the City of Montreal and by increasing the number of schools with school safety patrol programs. Now that 400 schools have school safety patrols, we could say “mission accomplished,” but we’re just getting started!