Spotsylvania, Like Fredericksburg, Turns to Altumint for School Speed Zone Cameras
Excessive speeding near some schools has moved the county to turn to automated speed enforcement to slow people down and increase safety in school zones.
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Beginning August 12, drivers passing by six Spotsylvania County schools will need to be more conscious of their speed.
The county is turning to automated speed enforcement to catch speeders in school zones and issue citations. During the first month, those caught by the system will receive a warning. Beginning September 11, citations will be issued. First offenses will draw a $50 fine; repeat offenses will draw a $100 fine.
The county has partnered with Altumint, the same company that the city of Fredericksburg is now using to ticket speeders at two locations in the city.
Since Fredericksburg has installed the system on Washington Avenue and Cowan Boulevard, the number of tickets has trended upward. (See chart above.)
The Spotsylvania program will initially place automated speed enforcement technology at six locations.
Battlefield Elementary School, 11108 Leavells Road
Battlefield Middle School, 11120 Leavells Road
Courthouse Road Elementary School, 9911 Courthouse Road
Livingston Elementary School, 6057 Courthouse Road
Massaponax High School, 8201 Patriot Highway
Salem Elementary School, 4501 Jackson Road
Concerns about speeding on the road that fronts Battlefield Middle School in particular played a role in adopting the automated speed enforcement system.
“On a single weekday morning, 2,179 drivers were recorded speeding through the school zone at Battlefield Middle School located on Leavells Road,” Sheriff Roger Harris was quoted as saying in the release. “That’s 58% of all vehicles on that road during school hours.”
The speed limit along Leavells Road approaching the elementary and middle schools is 45 mph, according to the VDOT speed limits map. It drops to 25 mph between Griffith Way and Windsor Drive.
Failing to slow down can have grave consequences.
The release notes that “Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that a pedestrian struck at 31 mph has a 50% risk of severe injury or death. At 39 mph, that risk jumps to 75%. The data from Battlefield Middle School showed average speeds exceeding 35 mph, with many drivers traveling over 40 mph in a clearly marked 25 mph zone.”
“The safety of our students, staff and the community at large is our No. 1 priority,” said Dr. Clint M. Mitchell, Superintendent of Spotsylvania County Public Schools, in the release issued by the county. “This proactive safety measure is another process to help keep everyone safe in our school zones.”
Funds collected are split between Altumint and the county. According to Michelle McGinnis, Spotsylvania’s director of community engagement and tourism, Altumint will receive $14 per citation issued. The remaining funds “will be reinvested back into the community through safety initiatives.
For additional information, see the official release, as well as the page detailing how to pay for citations.
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