The speed watch program will be in effect in Vernon school zones starting April 1 at 7:30 a.m.
The program is co-ordinated by the Safe Communities Unit and operated by RCMP volunteers.
“The purpose of the speed watch program is to enhance road safety and educate drivers,” said Regan Borisenko, crime prevention co-ordinator with the City of Vernon.
“This is done by increasing the level of awareness around issues of unsafe speed and distracted driving, and reducing the incidents of speeding by reflecting drivers’ speed and reinforcing the speed limit in that zone.”
Trained volunteers use digital speed reader boards and a radar unit and concentrate on areas where speeding is a major hazard. These volunteers will be initially concentrating on school zones in order to keep the motoring public aware of the change in speed now that students are back in class.
“There will be occasions when you will find our speed watch operatives working with the Vernon RCMP members,” said Borisenko.
“These two-strike operations may land you a ticket should you choose to ignore the RCMP volunteer operation. Expect to see speed watch operations around Vernon and please remember these volunteers are actively working to make our city a safer place to work and live.”
