NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. — It’s the last week of school, which for Neptune Beach Elementary parents, means it’s likely the last week they’ll go through pick-up and drop-off without speed cameras.
Mayor Elaine Brown said automated speed ticket cameras should be installed by the start of next school year.
“There are some people that are in a hurry to get someplace, and you can tell for sure," said Neptune Beach Elementary parent Chetri Dimitroff. "The crossing guard over here is constantly on his whistle, telling people to slow down.”
As someone who spends part of his afternoons parked on the shoulder of the road with cars zipping past him while waiting for the school bell to ring, Dimitroff is all for speed cameras.
"It’s a slap on the wrist, $100 bucks, but it’ll pay off," said Dimitroff. "I think once the word gets out there are cameras here, people will be slowing down.”
The city council voted in March to approve speed cameras in school zones to issue a $100 ticket to anyone going more than 10 mph over the limit from an hour before school starts to an hour after it ends.
In the case of Neptune Beach Elementary, that would be anyone going more than 35 miles per hour throughout the day or 25 miles per hour around the first and final bell.
“People just seem to ignore them at times," said Brown. "What we have found, we did a study, we saw an awful lot of cars that were breaking the law. This is dangerous for children.”
Brown said the study on a random school day at Neptune Beach Elementary found 200 people would’ve been issued a ticket.
She said the police chief is interviewing nine possible vendors, but they should have one picked soon so the cameras can be rolled out when school starts again in the fall.
“I’m never usually speeding through here because I’ve got to pick up my kids anyway, so I’d rather them slow down, and if that’s the incentive to do it, even better," said Neptune Beach Elementary parent John Burger.
Dimitroff said he’ll have no problem getting used to the cameras come next school year.
“I know once I get past the bridge right there, the speed limit is 30," said Dimitroff. "Don’t go over it, at all. And once you get to this school zone, you better make sure you’re at 15.”
When this idea was voted on at city council in March, there were a few people who spoke against it, but First Coast News talked with about a dozen parents in the car line on Wednesday, and each one was for it.
There is still one more vote ahead to pick a vendor, but the mayor feels confident they’ll have them installed in time for next school year.