PALM BAY, Fla. — Palm Bay could be the next Florida city to install a school zone speed ticketing system.

City council members at Thursday night's meeting discussed the proposal, which would involve cameras capturing the license plates of drivers going 10 mph or more over the speed limit. 

What You Need To Know

  • The topic will go through a second reading at the next city council meeting before going for a full vote

  • Tickets would be mailed to speeders at a rate of $100 per violation

  • While drivers would face fines, they would not receive points on their license

According to city documents, the police department has handed out 112 speeding citations in Palm Bay school zones since January of this year.

School zone safety has been an issue across Central Florida. In Lake County, two students were hit in two different incidents near Lake Minneola High School this year.

The Transportation Research Board reported that speeding results in annual injuries to 25,000 children and an average of more than 100 fatalities while walking to or from school.

In July, a new state law went into effect which allows municipalities to install speed detection cameras in Florida school zones.

“We have 16 school zones in the city of Palm Bay,” Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello said. “There will be two cameras in every school zone: one fixed on each direction of the road.”

According to Greg Parks, senior vice president of Redspeed, the program is paid for by ticket revenue and would not incur costs to the city.

Cameras will capture video of speeding cars along with their license plates. Those going more than 10 mph over the speed limit will be mailed a $100 fine.

From each fine, the revenue will be split up as follows:

  • $60 to the city for public safety spending

  • $5 toward a crossing guard recruitment and retention program

  • $12 to the school district

  • $3 to statewide law enforcement training

  • $20 to the state’s general revenue fund

Parks, whose company would oversee the project if approved, said it has had success in other districts, like Gwinett County, Ga.

“From the beginning of the program, speeding is down 95% in the school zone,” he said. “Seven percent recidivism rate. So people are learning their lesson.”

While drivers would face fines, they would not receive points on their license.

The measure still needs to go through a second reading at city council before going to a full vote. If approved, the city is required under state law to run a public awareness campaign for at least 30 days prior to the cameras being installed.

Parks said students will be given flyers to take home and signs will be posted outside.