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Sarasota taking steps toward school zone speed detection system: ‘I think it’s an important message we send'

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Published  July 1, 2024 4:42pm EDT
Sarasota
FOX 13 News

School zone speed cameras in Sarasota

The City of Sarasota is looking into speed detection cameras in school zones. A trial run showed thousands of violators.

SARASOTA, Fla. - When the school zone light is flashing, Sarasota Police Traffic Homicide Investigator Jason Frank hears similar excuses from speeders in school speed zones.

"It’s I’ve got to do this, and I’ve got to do that, and they forget they’re in a school zone," he told FOX 13 News.

Sarasota City Commissioners have approved the first step toward installing a school zone speed detection system.

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It’s like a red light camera system for school zone speeders. A five-day study identified six schools with more than 100 violations a day. That’s drivers going at least 10 miles per an hour over the speed limit.

The schools identified were:

  • Sarasota Military Academy
  • Sarasota High School
  • Southside Elementary School
  • Tuttle Elementary School
  • Alta Vista Elementary School
  • Cardinal Mooney High School

Cardinal Mooney’s speed zone had the most speeders, with more than 17,000 in violation.

"We are going to have these cameras, and we are going to be enforcing speeding especially during the school hours. I think it's an important message we send," said City of Sarasota Vice Mayor Jen Ahearn Koch.

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The vote was unanimous to have the city attorney draft an ordinance.

The time the cameras would be in operation will also be determined before City Commissioners make a final vote.

Speed detection cameras would not be in place for the beginning of the school year, but likely up and running by January pending final approval.

"I appreciate the work that you’re doing, and I think it’s critical that we enact this," said Commissioner Debbie Trice.

Parents like Margrita Davis agree.

"It’s very dangerous. I think it would be helpful. Maybe it would give them a reality check or a wake-up call," she said.

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A wake-up call, Officer Frank said is needed nearly every day school is in session.

"We try to educate people as much as we can for the safety of those kids," he said.

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