A timing failure at Banyan Creek Elementary put the fairness of Delray Beach’s new school-zone camera program under scrutiny: the camera and flashing beacons were not synchronized, and some $100 notices were issued outside designated enforcement hours. The city said affected notices were dismissed or refunded. Across the program, 4,945 notices were issued from Aug. 10 through Sept. 18, including one for a driver clocked at 84 mph.
Nearly 5,000 Notices In Six Weeks
RedSpeed, the program vendor, reported the totals to the Delray Beach City Commission, according to WPTV. A violation is triggered when a vehicle travels 11 mph or more over the posted limit while a school zone is active. RedSpeed also said violations were down 81% compared with the city’s initial speed studies.
WPTV reported that RedSpeed confirmed the Banyan Creek timing problem during the commission update. The camera and flashing beacons were not properly synchronized, so some drivers received notices when the zone should not have been under enforcement. City officials said incorrect Banyan Creek notices were dismissed or refunded; the report also said some $100 fines were dismissed or refunded.
Residents Say Signage Fell Short
WPTV reported that resident Halsi Oldehoff told commissioners her friends were ticketed without knowing the new enforcement zone existed. She said there was only one sign on each side of the zone and urged the city to keep flashing lights on throughout the enforcement period. Oldehoff argued that the initial wave of fines should be forgiven because drivers had received too little warning.
Residents supported the cameras’ safety goal while raising concerns about notice before enforcement began. As reported by WPTV, Mayor Tom Carney questioned whether the public had been adequately informed that some zones are monitored outside standard school-zone hours. The Delray Beach Police Department said it used social media posts and flyers sent home through schools to publicize the program.
What Happens Next
WPTV reported that Commissioner Juli Casale called camera problems a serious concern and said the process must be fair to residents, while indicating the program could continue if it keeps children safe and functions properly. The City Commission is scheduled to receive another update in December, when officials can report on the Banyan Creek issue and residents’ signage concerns.
How Delray Beach Compares
Delray Beach is not alone in leaning on cameras to slow drivers near schools. Boca Raton's school-zone safety program, in place for the 2025-2026 school year, automatically issues citations during arrival and dismissal windows when school-zone lights are flashing, after City of Boca Raton traffic studies found hundreds of drivers exceeding school-zone limits by more than 10 mph every day. Hollywood's camera program, covering 33 public, private and charter schools, launched with a 30-day grace period for warnings before citations began, according to the city. On Florida's Gulf Coast, Sarasota and Bradenton issued a combined roughly 73,000 school-zone speeding violations during the 2025-26 school year, per MySuncoast.
Florida Statutes § 316.1896 says a violation must be evidenced by a speed detection system, according to the Florida Legislature. The section also requires notice to the vehicle’s registered owner within 30 days of the violation; a recipient can request a hearing within 30 days or pay the fine. Delray Beach said it dismissed or refunded notices tied to the Banyan Creek timing error.
A separate warning-period example
Warning periods can be part of a city’s rollout: the City of Hollywood says its separate school-zone camera program began at the start of the 2024 school year with a 30-day period in which drivers received warnings before enforcement. That city-specific approach does not establish a warning-period requirement for Delray Beach.
