The Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office has seen a reduction in speeding in school zones since ticketing started on Nov. 9.
“We are now down to 100-150 violations a day,” Sheriff David Gabriel said.
Gabriel said prior to the installation of the speed cameras in the school zones, drivers committed approximately 1,200 violations a day. The number dropped to 200-300 violations a day during the warning period from Oct. 9 to Nov. 8.
The Sheriff’s Office expects the numbers to stabilize as residents adjust to the cameras.
“Most of the current violators are from out of town,” Gabriel said.
Whether it’s a resident or someone just passing through, a violation recorded by the speed cameras results in a $100 fine for the driver. The fine is mailed to the address associated with the tag of the vehicle.
Gabriel said, of the $100 fine for each violation, $35 goes to Blue Line Solutions, the company behind the speed camera technology. The other $65 goes to the Sheriff's Office.
That equates to approximately $6,500-$9,750 per day for the Sheriff’s Office at the current rate of violations.
Gabriel said he plans to purchase software that gives directions for county dispatchers and other telecommunicators on how to give CPR instructions over the phone.
Gabriel said he would also like to replace tasers in the department, purchase and install AEDs in patrol cars, and acquire lockdown technology for the school system.
During school hours (7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m.), any driver going 10 mph or more over the speed limit in one of the county’s school zones will receive a violation.
That means when school zone lights are flashing, anyone driving 45 mph or higher will be ticketed. When the school zone lights are not flashing, drivers will receive a ticket for traveling 55 mph or more.
The school zones can be found on Highway 78 near Oglethorpe County High School and on Comer Road near Oglethorpe County Primary, Elementary and Middle schools.
“If students are in class, (the cameras are) working,” Gabriel said.
All citations are administrative tickets, similar to parking violations, and don’t add points to a license or affect insurance.
In addition to the reduction in speeding in the school zones, Gabriel said he has also noticed a decrease in accidents on Highway 78 since ticketing began.