Drivers face new $100 fines as 16,500 cars caught violating ’11 miles per hour’ safety rule in a 12-hour period

THOUSANDS of speeding drivers have motivated city officials to approve new street surveillance technology that can automatically send drivers $100 fines.

Lawmakers implemented the technology after studies confirmed speeding in school zones. Recently amended state highway laws allowed the city to deploy driver monitoring technology.

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Alachua, Florida, county commissioners approved new rules allowing several schools to set up speed cameras around their campuses, according to The Gainesville Sun.

The vote kicks off a 30-day public information campaign to notify drivers about speed cameras.

The county used a RedSpeed ​​​​study that showed that several thousand drivers were speeding past schoolchildren every day.

RedSpeed ​​​​found that more than 16,500 drivers passed the county’s 18 elementary, middle and high schools at more than 10 mph over the speed limit.

After the informational period, drivers will receive a $100 speeding ticket in the mail if traffic monitoring cameras record speeds 10 mph over the speed limit.

The proceeds of the $100 fine will be divided between camera maintenance, the state and school security projects.

Lawmakers stressed that they are not expected to use tax dollars to implement the monitors.

“Two years ago, before this was approved, they were hoping it would be approved by the Legislature, and I spent nearly an hour talking with the two vendors,” county commission chairwoman Mary Alford said in a statement.

“I was convinced based on all the statistics they showed me from other states and the fact that it doesn’t take any money out of our pockets.”

The 30-day period will end on July 1st.

SAFE SCHOOLS

Hundreds of schools across America have struggled with erratic and fast driving near their campuses.

Recently, Florida state lawmakers passed a law that allowed individual counties to use speed monitoring cameras.

The law was the catalyst that allowed Alachua County to set up the cameras.

Florida is not alone.

School bus ticket laws

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), it is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus when it is stopped, the red strobe lights are flashing, and the stop sign is on.

“All states require that traffic in both directions stop on undivided highways when students enter or exit a school bus,” the agency’s website says.

Florida launched a program in May 2024 that will cite drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses with the help of AI-powered cameras to capture images of the violators, citing a key law.

In Florida, Chapter 316, Title 19, says:

• Any person using, operating or driving a vehicle upon the roads or highways of this state shall, when approaching any school bus displaying a stop sign, come to a complete stop of such vehicle while the bus is stopped, and the vehicle shall not overtake the bus school until the sign is removed. Anyone who violates this section commits a movable offense, punishable as provided in chapter 318.
• Any person who uses, operates, or drives a vehicle that passes a school bus on the side on which children enter and exit when the school bus displays a stop sign commits a moving violation, punishable as provided in Chapter 318, and is subject to a mandatory hearing under the provisions of s. 318.19

Source: NHSTA, Florida Legislature

Virginia has also set up speed cameras around some school zones to monitor traffic.

However, some drivers have struggled with the accuracy of the state’s technology.

Likewise, several states have passed stricter rules regarding illegal passing of school buses.

It is illegal to pass a school bus when its stop signs are extended and flashing in all states.

However, Florida, Georgia and New York have passed new rules to monitor traffic and ensure drivers don’t illegally pass buses.

Georgia law is the harshest, with fines of up to $1,000.