PANAMA CITY — Officials are considering extra safety precautions to help protect local students from speeding motorists.
In a meeting on July 22, Panama City commissioners held the first reading of an ordinance to install speed detection systems at about a dozen school zones within the city’s limit. Speed violators could receive a $100 penalty for each violation.
The second reading of the ordinance is slated to occur at the commission’s next meeting on Aug. 12.
“It is not an automatic ticket,” City Manager Jonathan Hayes said during the meeting. “The ticket is generated, and a Panama City law enforcement officer has to review and sign off on it. There’s no points assessed.”
According to the meeting’s agenda, the detection systems would help law enforcement officers enforce speed limits, since such a task can often be difficult for just officers to grapple. There often are not enough officers within each school zone to properly stop and city all speeding drivers.
The detection system would fix that by fining those who drive more than 10 mph over posted limits.
Speed detection systems are possible thanks to House Bill 657, which was signed into law in 2023. The agenda notes the bill established the following parameters:
Information from the meeting notes speed detection systems would operate only during school hours.
Among those who spoke about the topic during Tuesday’s meeting was Ron Danzey, executive director for Palm Bay Prep Academy. He believes the detection systems would be an important safety measure for local students.
He also said that in his experience, speed limit signs and school zone signs on their own are not enough to prevent speeding.
“We have 600 kids, and over 100 are walkers,” Danzey said. “We are becoming more of a neighborhood school, even though we’re a charter. … If I stay awake at night being a leader in a school, it’s over safety. We don’t need to wait until a child gets ran over.
“I am very much in favor of this ordinance.”
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Slow down! Panama City considers installing speed detection systems outside local schools
Reporting by Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
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