Five speed cameras posted near three Hallandale Beach schools stopped giving out warnings and started issuing $100 fines this fall, after police logged roughly 6,000 speeding alerts in the program's first month alone, as reported by CBS Miami. The shift from warning to citation has split opinion among drivers and parents in the neighborhoods surrounding the cameras, even as police say it is still too early to know whether the devices are actually making streets safer.
The cameras are part of the city's school zone safety program, which according to CBS News Miami aims to reduce speeding and prevent crashes where students travel to and from class. They sit near Gulfstream Academy of Hallandale Beach K-8, Lanier-James Education Center and Hallandale Magnet High School, covering both regular instructional hours and the arrival and dismissal rush when students are most likely to be on foot. During instructional hours, when the reduced school-zone limit is not in effect, the cameras instead enforce the roadway's regular posted speed limit.
Hallandale Beach's initial 30-day warning period ran its course and ended October 21, with police issuing about 1,500 warnings a week during that stretch before authorities began issuing the $100 civil fines the very next day, according to City of Hallandale Beach. Drivers caught going 11 mph or more over the posted limit during the designated enforcement hours can now receive a citation, though the cameras stay dark overnight, on weekends and during designated school holidays. The city's own FAQ page states that traffic studies recorded 11,490 instances of vehicles traveling more than 10 mph over the limit at the five chosen locations across just five school days, as noted by City of Hallandale Beach, though that figure carries lower confidence than the police department's own numbers.
Police Say It's Too Soon to Judge the Program
The Hallandale Beach Police Department declined CBS News Miami's request for an on-camera interview but did share program details, including its stated goal: encouraging drivers to slow down and prevent crashes rather than simply racking up citations. Police have not released how many fines have actually been issued since enforcement began, saying it is too early to accurately measure the program's results. Officers plan to track speeding violations, crash data and community feedback over the next six months, with the first formal review expected around April 2027.
Residents who spoke with the outlet offered contrasting takes on whether the cameras are worth it. One Hallandale Beach resident, Flora Garrett, said speeding happens frequently near the schools, especially after dismissal and at night, and that she believes the cameras add real protection for students working alongside crossing guards. “The camera helps a whole lot,” Garrett said, according to the same report.
A Driver Pushes Back on the Cost
Not every driver is sold on the approach. Roei Gal told the station he opposes speeding but thinks enforcement through cameras has its limits, suggesting the city look at a different solution altogether. He pointed to the financial hit repeated tickets could deal to a household. “There has to be a different solution,” Gal said. “I think it's a little extreme; add at least another $400 to $500 a month in their monthly budget just for these extra tickets.”
How Hallandale Beach Compares to Other Florida School Zones
Hallandale Beach's rollout mirrors a statewide trend. Florida's school-zone camera programs have captured about one million speeding drivers since the effort began the previous year, and vendor data cited by WPTV shows at least $66 million in paid fines collected in just over a year statewide. The station also reported that 33 Palm Beach County schools have added similar cameras, which issue $100 tickets by mail to drivers caught going 10 to 11 mph over the limit.
Other Florida cities offer an early glimpse of what longer-term data might show. In Lake Wales, a police lieutenant said the city's school-zone camera system has already helped cut speeding violations by half, according to the Daily Ridge. That city's school zones recorded 8,662 violations for drivers going more than 10 mph over the limit between March and June, a baseline Hallandale Beach officials may eventually compare against their own numbers once the six-month review arrives.
Under Florida law, only a warning can be issued to a registered vehicle owner during a required 30-day public awareness campaign before any civil penalty can apply, according to the Florida Senate's text of the relevant statute. Separately, state law gives local authorities the power to regulate traffic through police officers or official traffic-control devices, per the Florida Legislature's Online Sunshine statutes, a framework that underpins cities' ability to deploy camera enforcement in school zones in the first place.
