PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — New cameras continue to keep a watchful eye over school zones in Portsmouth, and thousands of citations have already been issued, all in just over three weeks.
The city tested the cameras in December before going live Jan. 1.
In December, city police issued 6,208 warnings, and in a one-week period in November, there were 5,067 violations, or more than 700 per day on average. Through Tuesday, they had issued 2,732 actual citations, or more than 118 per day.
Cameras are activated 30 minutes before school starts, and end 30 minutes after school ends. When the lights are flashing, they are active.
“These deterrents that we’re putting up, we’re hoping is going to save a life,” said Portsmouth Police Chief Stephen Jenkins. “There’s a high probability if you receive one, you were speeding.”
The cameras are up at seven schools in the city.
Each time you are caught speeding, it’ll cost you $100.
Suffolk already has these cameras in school and work zones, and from September through mid-December, the city had received nearly $5.3 million for speed camera violations in safety, work and school zones. In Suffolk, they continue to implement red light cameras.
York County is also testing school zone cameras. York-Poquoson Sheriff Ron Montgomery is a proponent and said it had noted 3,725 violations at five school zones in a five-day period, morning and afternoon combined.