Drivers are being caught in their hundreds flouting a new road rule, with almost 1,200 motorists being fined, amounting to over $690,000 in a little over two months.
Fresh South Australia Police data shows an average of about 24 motorists a day were penalised for speeding through the new school zones outside Marryatville High School and Goodwood Primary School in Adelaide. Fixed cameras monitor both sites.
Over 11 weeks from late 2025, 992 drivers were fined on Kensington Road near Marryatville, while another 202 were caught on Goodwood Road, The Adelaide Advertiser reported.
Together, the offences generated $694,037 in penalties.
The 40km/h speed limits apply on school days. South Australian public schools resume from holidays today, and school zones apply from 8am to 9.30am and from 2pm to 4pm.
Fresh South Australia Police data shows an average of about 24 motorists a day were penalised for speeding through the new school zones. Source: Getty
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More than 160 schools across South Australia are set to eventually introduce the lower limits, with around 60 already rolled out.
Royal Automobile Association of South Australia (RAA) senior safety manager Charles Mountain said drivers needed to stay alert as the changes expand across the state.
“Drivers ignoring the new 40km/h speed limits at drop-off and pick-up times may be putting children and other road users at risk around schools,” he said.
RAA South Australia senior safety manager Charles Mountain says the new road rules are important to keep children safe. Source: RAA
“Drivers will be seeing more and more of these time-based speed limits pop up on their daily commutes — with around another 100 to be installed by the end of the year — and they need to pay attention to them.
“These new speed limits are important because they’re in areas where lots of children are often present as they’re heading to and from school, and children are some of our most vulnerable road users.”
Mountain said crash data shows about 40 per cent of injury crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists under 16 occur during those school peak hours.
Previously, South Australia mainly used 25km/h zones on local streets, with fewer restrictions on major roads where speeds are higher, and pedestrian activity is still significant.
“Drivers need to reduce their speed to 40km/h before the crossing and not increase their speed until they pass a 50 or 60km/h sign on the departure side,” Mountain said.
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“The new 40km/h speed limit on main roads does not affect the 25km/h speed limit at school zones on local roads that operate whenever children are present (even non-school days).”
The program was announced in September 2025 by then-Education Minister Blair Boyer and is partly funded through the $168 million National Road Safety Program in partnership with the federal government.
Marryatville High School was the first to adopt the new limits in November, followed by other sites, including Golden Grove High School and Mercedes College.
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