School is back in session and speed zones will be enforced with several new cameras soon to be installed at key intersections.
Greensboro’s Chief of Police Rodricus Monford stressed a need to augment public safety measures for school zones with special cameras that detect speed violations and red-light infractions.
A traffic study conducted over a three-week period last March highlighted significant violations in school zones in excess of 10 mph over the posted speed limit.
Automated enforcement of safety zones use radar-assisted cameras to identify speed violations. When used, these cameras provide enhanced safety in critical school zones, reduce speeding and create safe and secure zones within the city.
Most systems pay for themselves as they become a violator-funded solution. Cities can then reduce the number of moving violations and traffic injuries that result from violations. Any vehicles entering an intersection above the posted speed or running a red light will be photographed. These cameras provide details such as color, make, and model of the vehicle, date and time of the offense, travel direction, vehicle speed and other important specified parameters.
Monford presented the findings that showed a surprising number of violations having conducted a safety analysis to factor in violations.
Week one of the traffic study showed 780 vehicles during the hours of 7:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. with 59 violations of speed. The next weeks showed similar comparisons of 753 vehicles and 71 violators in week two and 771 vehicles with 119 violations in week three. This represented a total of 249 vehicle speed infractions over the three-week period.
“There is only so much we can do as a local police department,” Monford said. “These cameras will assist us in enforcement and ensure ongoing safety measures in our important school zones.”
Monford identified two key school intersections at South Main and Tiger Drive in the city where speed has always been a problem.
Council voted to enter into a purchase lease option for the cameras which are scheduled to be installed at 1568 South Main St. and 854 South Main St.