The City of Orlando voted yesterday, June 24 to install speed cameras at more than a dozen schools in the area to crackdown on pedestrian fatalities.
A year ago, a law took effect in Florida that allows municipalities to enforce school zone speed limits through the use of special speed detection cameras.
City of Orlando commissioners unanimously approved the installation of 24 cameras at schools that are considered high risk for pedestrian accidents and fatalities.
District 5 Commissioner Shan Rose said she’s eager to begin education sessions in her district, to make sure residents are aware of and on board with this new measure.
“I’d say District 5 community residents are always complaining about being stereotyped, or the negative impact this could have on the economic side. So we've got to have that happy medium balance and educate that this is a safety mechanism to protect our children," Rose said.
District 2 Commissioner Tony Ortiz said as a former police officer he’s thrilled about this new measure, as it will save lives.
“You know, there's no sadder scene than having a police officer or a firefighter having to come up to an incident of somebody hitting a kid, and this firefighter or paramedic or police officer having to lift their body," Ortiz said.
The measure will come at no additional cost to the city, as it’s a statewide program, and is estimated to bring in at least a million to a million and a half dollars in revenue.
The first cameras will go up in 2025, after vendors for the cameras are improved in the fall of 2024.
The first 30 days will act as a grace period for drivers as they acclimate to the system, with only warnings written. After that, drivers will be ticketed for each offense picked up by the cameras.
The city will reach out to private and charter schools in the area, to alert them to the program, and gauge their interest in putting up the cameras. Right now, cameras will only be put up in designated school zones.
Read the full proposal for the cameras here:
