In an effort to curb the rampant speeding in school zones, Miami-Dade County commissioners have given the green light for a network of speed detection cameras. Local 10 reports that the initiative, introduced by Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez, won the support of the commission yesterday, passing by a decisive 10-3 vote. A total of 206 school zones across Miami-Dade are set to be outfitted with these systems to monitor and penalize speeding drivers.
Despite some opposition, the plan to install these cameras has been in the works since last summer, per Rodriguez's proposal. The urgency of the situation is underscored by nearly 2,500 citations for speeding in school zones being issued last year, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department. Fuelled by the passing of HB 657 by the Florida legislature, enabling local governments to enforce school zone speed limits, the measure will see cameras rolling out 30 minutes before the school bell and winding down 30 minutes after classes dispense.
The repercussions for violators are straightforward: anyone caught driving over 10 miles per hour above the designated school speed limit will face a minimum penalty of $100. This was corroborated by NBC Miami, which outlined that drivers won't rack up points against their driving records, nor should they expect hikes in car insurance rates as a consequence of these fines.
The financial logistics of the project are notably self-sufficient, with county commissioners stating that the expenses will be covered by the fines collected from the cited speedsters. The contract for supplying these cameras has been awarded to RedSpeed USA, based in Alpharetta, Georgia, with an initially six-year term, though the county reserves the right to discontinue the agreement annually if deemed necessary without incurring penalties.
