York County moves forward with plan to implement speed cameras in school zones

Drivers can expect new speed cameras in York County school zones starting later this month, the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office announced.

• The cameras will be installed by August 26, 2024. 

• To give drivers time to adjust, there will be a 30-day “warning period,” the sheriff’s office said. During that time, violators who exceed the speed limit in affected school zones will receive warnings instead of citations. 

• Starting on September 25, the cameras will be fully operational, and citations will be given out to drivers who surpass the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour.

Why it’s happening: The sheriff’s office says they began looking into the use of speed cameras after they received a large number of complaints about people driving too fast in school zones last fall. 

Thousands of violations: To assess the severity of the situation, speed cameras were installed at five county schools for a five-day trial period. York Poquoson Sheriff Ron Montgomery told the Board of Supervisors earlier this year that the results revealed a “serious public safety issue.” During the trial, 3,725 vehicles drove through school zones at speeds exceeding 11 miles per hour above the speed limit, he said. 

• “York County has nineteen schools,” the sheriff’s office said in a release announcing the new cameras. “This [trial] data was from only five schools. It was clear that this issue was a public safety concern and needed to be addressed.”

Each citation will cost drivers $100 but will be considered a civil fine that will not affect violators’ records.

Cameras will be located within the following school zones:

• Bruton High
• Dare Elementary
• Grafton Bethel Elementary
• Seaford Elementary
• Tabb Elementary
• York High

Dr. Victor Shandor, superintendent of York County School Division (YCSD), said he believes the speed cameras will help ensure the safety of students.

• “The school district fully supports this program because it is fundamentally about keeping our children safe,” Shandor said. “These cameras will deter speeding and create a safer environment for our students as they travel to and from school.”

For more information about the speed camera program, click here.