Cameras failing to keep kids safe in school zones

The NRMA says cameras are failing to keep kids safe in school zones

The NRMA has warned motorists that school zones become active in NSW today with the first of this week’s four pupil free days, which consistently see fines more than double compared to regular days.

School zone on a quiet street in Central Sydney, Australia.

Image: School zone sign / Getty Images

While most students do not return to schools until Monday, the 40km/h limit applies this week. There was one pupil free day in January 2025 when 1,379 fines were issued compared to the March daily average of 602 fines – an increase of 130 per cent.

The NRMA also called for immediate audit of the state’s school zones after it found almost $35 million in fines for speeding and red-light camera offences were recorded in these locations during the 2024/25 financial year.

Although the 125,783 speeding fines issued in NSW school zones represents an overall decrease of some 6,000 on the previous financial year, there were increases in the number of offences at three of Sydney’s five most notorious locations.

Woodville Road, Chester Hill (southbound), was the site of the most speeding offences in a school zone for the second consecutive year. The 2024/25 total was 8,240 fines (FY23/24 7,813).

The Woodville Road school zone was one of four to re-appear in the top five for fines along with Victoria Road, Ryde (eastbound); Lane Cove Road, North Ryde (northbound); and Princes Highway, Kogarah (southbound).

The Ryde and the North Ryde sites also saw an increase in speeding fines over the previous financial year. A total of 887 fines were issued by red-light cameras last year, which represented an increase of six fines on 2024/25.

“Australians have no time for drivers who speed in school zones and put the lives of children at risk and the NRMA urges all drivers to slow down and take extra care during school zone hours,” NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said.

"NRMA’s research also alarmingly shows that the number of fines on one pupil free day in January last year was 130 per cent higher than the average in March, which had no pupil free days – this must be addressed."

— Peter Khoury, Head of Media at The NRMA

“While fines in school zones fell slightly overall, the state has seen significant increases in those locations that have appeared at the top of the list for the greatest number of fines.

“Sitting back and collecting those fines will not make children safer and the NRMA is again calling for physical audits of school zones to ensure they are doing the job of alerting drivers and slowing them down – starting with the locations that top the list.”