ROSWELL — Next month, automated school zone cameras will go live in Roswell.
Beginning Monday Feb. 3, The City of Roswell Police Department will start a 30 day warning period to help drivers adjust to automated enforcement of school zones. The initial school zone cameras are installed in the Vickery Mill Elementary school zone on Highway 9.
During the warning period, the city will be mailing warning notices to drivers. New signage alerting drivers of the stepped up enforcement have already been installed.
The program was instituted after a nationwide spike in pedestrian fatalities over the past decade in which Georgia became one of the 5 deadliest states for pedestrians, with the seventh highest fatality rate.
Automated enforcement is endorsed as a safety tool by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association, AAA, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Safety Council.
Roswell Police Chief James Conroy said he hopes the cameras will reverse dangerous safety trends and encourage drivers to slow down.
“We have high hopes that Automated Enforcement will encourage drivers to slow down, obey the law, and ultimately save lives,” Conroy said. “Traffic fatalities are the number one cause of death for children aged 5-14 and for young adults (aged 15-29). Very minimal reductions in speed make school zones safer for everyone, especially for the children. We want our schools to be safe areas where children can learn, thrive, and travel freely to and from school without having to fear for their well-being.”
Numerous publications have documented how slower speeds can save lives. One definitive study by the AAA Foundation found that children and young adults have less than a 10% risk of serious injury or death in an accident at 15 mph, but that the risks climbed substantially with each 5 mph increment. At 35 miles per hour the risk of severe injury or death is greater than 50%.
The Roswell program will target the most egregious speeders exceeding more than 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit in school zones.
The speed cameras will operate from one hour before school until one hour after school, only on school days. A sworn officer reviews and approves each citation before it is issued. A 30 day warning period is in effect before any citations are issued.
The new program will be fully operational and issuing citations on March 3.
The City will be posting a Frequently Asked Questions list to its website and will also be providing updates and answering questions on Social Media. Residents with questions may call The Roswell Police Department at 770-640-4100 or visit the City of Roswell website.
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