Drivers in metro city will face automatic fines for speeding in school zone after new cameras added

DECATUR, Ga. — Another metro city will be installing traffic cameras in school zones to slow drivers down.

The cameras will be placed in several school zones in Decatur.

Drivers who go 11 miles over the 25-mph speed limit face automatic fines.

Many drivers ignore the signs, but they may be encouraged to slow down if they know they’re being tracked on camera and could get a big fine if they’re caught speeding.

Speeding poses a huge risk to children in and around school zones, especially those walking or riding to and from school.

‘It’s scary. Even when I would walk my child to the bus stop, there’s speeding. it’s scary they are right next to you,” Parent Joanne Kent said. “We have a lot of small streets and small kids.”

In many cities and counties across the metro, traffic cameras are now in school zones to nab speeding drivers and discourage people from speeding.

The city of Decatur is now getting on board.

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“We are all about safety and changing driver behavior,” said Gena Sullivan with Blue Solutions.

The company will handle the installation and monitoring of the traffic cameras, which they say are proven to drastically reduce speeding in school zones.

“Typically, we see about a 90% or 90% plus reduction in speeding,” Sullivan said.

That can save lives.

“If you take a child hit by a car at 20 mph, they have a nine in 10 chance of surviving. If you take a car that hits a child at 40 mph, they only have a one in 10 chance of surviving,” Sullivan said.

After a 30-day warning period, speeding drivers will be fined $75 for the first offense and $125 thereafter.

Parents believe the threat of getting caught on camera and slapped with a fine, is going to convince people to slow down.

“I hope it does cut down on speeding and hopefully we won’t have to issue a lot of tickets,” Kent said.

Part of the speeding fine will cover the cost of the monitoring program for the cameras. The rest will fund local law enforcement and public safety initiatives.

The city said it will take at least six months to get the program up and running.

RELATED NEWS:

Speed cameras installed in Bartow County to decrease speeding in school zone The cameras were live for the first time Wednesday morning, during school hours, in the school zone area of Adairsville Middle and High schools.

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