YORK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) — New school zone speed enforcement cameras in York County are now issuing citations for alleged speeders instead of a warning.
The 20-day warning period expired on Thursday, Sept. 26. Now, drivers who are spotted exceeding the speed limit by more than 11 mph in a school zone will receive a $100 fine in the mail.
York County Sheriff Ron Montgomery told 10 On Your Side that, since the cameras have gone up, he has seen a dramatic drop in offenders.
According to Montgomery, there was a five-day survey taken prior to the cameras even going up. During that five-day period, Montgomery said they calculated 3,700 people speeding in six school zones. When the cameras went up, that number dropped to just 1,400 in a 30-day period.
Those six locations include:
- Bruton High School
- Dare Elementary
- Grafton Bethel Elementary School
- Seaford Elementary
- Tabb Elementary
- York High School
Montgomery said the locations were chosen because those school zones are particularly hard for deputies to use radar.
“Our primary concern is the safety of our children,” Montgomery said, in a release. “By implementing school zone speed cameras, we can enforce speed limits more effectively, even when officers are not physically present. This technology ensures continuous monitoring and enhances the safety of school zones.”
Some community members are concerned about the accuracy of the cameras, not wanting to receive an unwarranted citation. Montgomery tells us Virginia’s General Assembly created a way for you to appeal the citation. You must sign an affidavit that says you were not driving your vehicle that day and provide the name of who was. Then, you’ll be given the opportunity for a court date with the deputy who recorded the speeding violation.
For more information about the program, click here.
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