A new speed camera program aims to decrease traffic collisions near schools and make it easier for the police to fine speeding drivers.
As Tyler Wilkins reports, Georgia's Gwinnett County has installed its first speed-monitoring camera at a local elementary school. The county police department plans to install three more cameras at additional schools, which will hit speeding drivers with $75 or $125 fines. "So far this year, eight pedestrians have been killed within the county. The police department hopes the cameras deter drivers from speeding through school zones," writes Wilkins.
According to a police spokesperson, the cameras will assist with ongoing speed enforcement and free up strained police resources. The program is also expected to raise over $4 million in a year for the county.
While the violations captured by Gwinnett County's cameras will be confirmed by an officer before a citation is sent out, automated traffic cameras have encountered opposition in states like Texas, with critics arguing that automated enforcement doesn't improve public safety and can actually increase crashes.
FULL STORY: Gwinnett flips switch on first speed camera near schools
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