New speed cameras will be active in Oglethorpe County school zones on Monday.
The cameras are on Highway 78 near Oglethorpe County High School and on Comer Road near Oglethorpe County Primary, Elementary and Middle schools.
“Safety is always forefront in our daily school thoughts,” said Paul Thiel, director of operations for the school system. “We are optimistic that these cameras will provide another level of safety for all our schools.”
School safety isn’t the only goal for the cameras, Sheriff David Gabriel said.
“It’s important because a lot of accidents occur right there in that corridor (near Oglethorpe County High School) between people turning into Bell’s and other things when people are speeding,” he said. “In addition to making the school zone safer, we’re also hoping to improve that commercial corridor, as far as traffic safety.”
The technology will ticket any driver going 10 mph or more over the speed limit. That means when school zone lights are flashing, anyone driving 45 mph or higher will be ticketed, and when the school zone lights are not flashing, there will be tickets for those traveling 55 mph or more.
According to the Oglethorpe County Sheriff Office’s Facebook page, the cameras use LiDAR (laser) high-speed cameras and automated tag readers to detect speeding in the school zones from 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. when schools are in session. Outside of school hours, holidays, summer break and weekends, the regulations will not be in effect.
“If students are in class, (the cameras are) working,” Gabriel said.
There will be a one-month grace period for all drivers from Oct. 9 through Nov. 8 when drivers will be issued warnings. The Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office hopes this will help residents become accustomed to the new rules and decrease the number of tickets when the grace period ends.
Citations will start on Nov. 9.
The tickets will be sent by mail using the address registered to the vehicle’s tag. All citations are administrative tickets, similar to parking violations, and will not add points to a license or affect insurance.
The fee will increase by $100 from the first offense for every additional violation. Blue Line Solutions, the company behind the technology, will make $25 out of every $100 fine.
There were 3,893 violations near OCHS and OCPS during school hours when Blue Line Solutions collected data between last Jan. 31 and Feb. 4. That number is more than 6,000, according to the Sheriff’s office.
Gabriel said he hopes for a change in driving habits after the cameras are activated.
“We’re certainly hoping to reduce the number of times there is speeding in the school zones,” he said. “The company touts an 80% reduction in the amount of speeding in school zones.”