HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla — Hillsborough County is cracking down on speeding through school zones. There will soon be cameras put in near schools to catch speeders, meaning you could get a ticket without ever being pulled over.
Earlier today, county commissioners passed an ordinance allowing for the tech. They're similar to red light cameras. If you go faster than 11 miles over the posted school zone speed, it takes a photo. A state law passed earlier this year allows local government to put these devices in place.
Deputies say they're much needed as the number of speeding citations in school zones is a major concern.
In a statement from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, "It is a huge issue. For example, we conducted a 3-day study at just 29 schools during the school zone times (so a total of almost 2 hours each day). During that study, we observed more than 25,000 violations. Again this was only at 29 schools in the county, so the issue is even larger."
As of right now, there is no clear start date, but the sheriff's office has the green light to get the program started. For the first 30 days of the cameras in place, no citations, only warnings will be issued, to make drivers aware of the new changes.
"I think you'll realize once you've gotten your first or second ticket, you've got to slow down in these school zones," Commissioner Michael Owen said. "So I think what it does is it will train everyone to say listen-- you can't really articulate why it's good to speed in a school zone.
"I've heard plenty of good arguments against red light cameras. but as far as a school zone goes, I haven't heard someone say why someone should go 11 miles over the limit in a school zone. "
Malique Rankin is a general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at mrankin@10tampabay.com and follow her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.