The first four days of school in January saw the cameras outside The Illawarra Grammar School issue more than six times the amount of money in speeding fines compared to the rest of the month.
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This was due to the number of drivers caught speeding through the school zone.
School zones are only in force on gazetted school days, which started on Tuesday, January 27 - despite TIGS’ term beginning on the Thursday.
According to figures from the Office of State Revenue, the cameras - which monitor traffic heading north and south - detected 95 drivers speeding through the school zone in the first four days of school from January 27.
For the entire month, the cameras detected 122 drivers, which means a whopping 77 per cent of speeders were nabbed in those first four days of school.
The amount of revenue brought in through fines in those first days of school is even more stark.
Those 95 drivers fined for speeding in a school zone added up to $32,986, while the speeding fines issued in the rest of January totalled just $4831.
This means the fines in the first four days of school made up 87 per cent of the value of fines issued for the month of January.
Thirty-two of the fines were for exceeding the speed limit by more than 10km/h, with the remainder for driving less than 10km/h over the limit.
The high number of motorists caught for speeding in the school zone in January is the worst at that location in five years.
Office of State Revenue figures go back to the 2010-11 financial year and the next-highest January figure was in 2013-14 when 68 drivers were caught.
The figure of 95 drivers represents a 40 per cent increase on last year.
Across the state 2047 drivers were caught speeding in school zones in the last week of January.
Centre for Road Safety general manager Marg Prendergast said everything possible was to ensure drivers are aware of school zones and their operating hours.
‘‘All schools have prominent signs and road markings telling drivers that kids are about and that they must slow down to 40km/h,’’ Ms Prendergast said.
‘‘By the end of this year, every school across NSW will have a set of flashing lights, further improving safety around our schools.
‘‘Research shows that flashing lights are effective in reducing vehicle speeds in school zones, so this is a real win for road safety. What’s more, is that all school zones with speed cameras have a set of flashing lights as an extra reminder to drivers.’’
Ms Prendergast also said the 40km/h school zones had contributed to the reduction of school-age pedestrian casualties because travelling at 40 km/h reduces both the risk and potential severity of a crash.
