School speed zone cameras catch near 6,000 speeders

BY KIRO Radio Staff  on November 29, 2012 @ 7:33 am (Updated: 10:44 am - 11/29/12 )

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Seattle city officials were surprised by the number of speeders caught by new automated cameras installed in four area school zones. (KIRO Radio/Chris Sullivan) | Zoom
Seattle city officials were surprised by the number of speeders caught by new automated cameras installed in four area school zones.

Since going live Nov. 1, the cameras have recorded 5,927 speeders who were sent warning notices.

"We were surprised by how many warnings we've handed out," said Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn. "We've handed out close to 6,000 warnings already which is much higher than we predicted."

The city planned to begin issuing $189 tickets beginning Nov. 26, but decided to extend the warning period by two weeks.

They note if this level of speeding continues, citations issued from the school speed zone cameras will bring in $2-4 million in revenue annually.

The city plans to explore ways to reinvest the money into building up safety around schools.

"Safety is our top priority, especially in school zones," said McGinn. "This project will not only reduce speeding, but we're also able to make our neighborhood streets safer than they were before."

The speed cameras are monitoring school zones at Broadview-Thompson K-8 School, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, Olympic View Elementary School and Gatewood Elementary School. These schools were chosen because it was determined they would receive the greatest safety benefit from camera enforcement.

The cameras will begin issuing $189 tickets on Dec. 10.

KIRO Radio Editor James Rynasiewicz contributed to this report.

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Comments (8)


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  • Hank Reardon wrote...
    Coming soon
    November 29, 2012 7:26 am
    to a street corner near you. Big Brother is only trying to keep you safe.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • MagneticPatriot wrote...
    If people could control themselves...
    November 29, 2012 8:52 am
    If people actually took some responsibility for their actions and maybe followed the laws of the road, more aware of what is going on when they drive, and just not do what they think others are doing this would be a better place but its not.

    We need these cameras and I hope they bleed the wallets and purses of the public dry!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • montanarose wrote...
    I am afraid of being rear ended
    November 29, 2012 9:34 am
    One way of taking my son to pre-school goes past one of these camaeras. I slowed way down, 20 seems almost to low, I think my car idles at that speed. The car behind me, was riding my bumper, was slightly afraid they might rear end me. So, that being said, I just use a diffrent road now.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 710 wrote...
    Speeding by how much?
    November 29, 2012 9:35 am
    6000 sounds like a lot. But my understanding is that those cameras take a photo even if you are 1 mph over. I am curious at what speed are we talking about? I am all for kids safety, but I fail to see 22 is so much more dangerous than 20. Also when are the camera turned on? I always find "when children are present" being very confusing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Astoria wrote...
    School zone speed cameras
    November 29, 2012 9:38 am
    Someone with the city and your staff needs to go back to school and learn math, it's not 2-4 million$ it's over 13.5 million$
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mike_D34 wrote...
    Safety my backside!!
    November 29, 2012 9:38 am
    That's it. The city/county don't get it, and they'll lie directly to your face. I'm all for someone cutting the cables to the cameras.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Shplunker wrote...
    Mayor McBikepath..
    November 29, 2012 9:59 am
    ..is a total idiot doofus. And if you believe it's all about safety, then you too probably voted for all the leftwing idiots around here. It's about revenue, plain and simple. The fact that its over $13 million at that rate probably made all the tax/regulate/spend pop stiffies. I'm NOT for speeding in school zones - but "over 20mph" tickets isn't really going to make the kids any safer. And...if kids were being hit at some ridiculous rate in some school area ... wouldn't we be having the media dipsticks out there on a daily basis with camera crews?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • darthclown wrote...
    When I lived in Texas, they had a cop at each end of the school zone
    November 29, 2012 12:28 pm
    One mile over was a ticket. No muss, no fuss, no slack. Personally, I'm ok with that. It's called breaking the law. One MPH or 20, it's still speeding and you earned the ticket. If you don't want to pay, don't speed. Pretty simple.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }