The warning period is over. Starting Wednesday in South Miami, remember to slow down if driving through a school zone or facing a costly fine.
Cameras affixed to poles and sides of buses in these areas will capture your license plate and deliver a $100 penalty directly to the vehicle’s owner’s mailbox if you exceed the speed limit by ten mph or more, which is 15 mph in school zones. Since the start of school, South Miami police have issued 3,520 warnings, excluding repeat offenders and license plates from other states.
South Miami police said the cameras will be activated 30 minutes before school begins, during school hours, and 30 minutes after school ends. A few school zones have been recognized as high-risk regions and will get increased policing. This contains Ludlam Elementary, South Miami K-8 Center, Somerset Academy, South Miami Charter School, South Miami Middle School, Epiphany Catholic School, and Mandelstam School.”I think it’s a good idea because it’ll be much safer for us and result in fewer accidents,” student Isabella Parada said.”It’s great; it’ll make everyone a lot safer,” student John Jimenez remarked. “I’ve seen a lot of close calls, whether it be crashing or running into a student, so this will keep us a lot safer.” If you aren’t driving your automobile and receive a ticket, you can file an appeal with the clerk of courts.
Also, new this school year are cameras that employ artificial intelligence technology to detect cars that fail to stop for buses when the stop arm is out. They are known as “AVA” and are installed on all 1,000 county school buses. In the first two weeks of the school year, Miami-Dade issued 11,500 bus passing fines. The automated ticket will cost you $225.
