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Cars Caught Speeding In School Zones

Every school zone in Oklahoma requires drivers to go 25 miles-per-hour or less.  To make it easier on drivers, the limit is only reduced when school zone signal lights are flashing.  But it is easy to find drivers ignoring those signs. 

"They're in a hurry to get somewhere and they don't realize the cost," Lisa Shaw, a crossing guard at Earlywine Elementary School said.  "It's almost like everyone speeds. Not hardly anyone, young or old, goes the speed limit."

The Oklahoma City Police Department says speeding in a school zone is a violation it takes seriously, but says there are not enough officers for it patrol school zones on a regular basis.

"We just don't have the resources to cover 125 school crossing guard locations throughout the city, every day on pick up and drop-offs. We kind of have to prioritize them," Capt. Don Martin said.

Oklahoma City police cited 958 people for speeding in school zones last year.  Martin says the number is misleading because officers will also monitor streets surrounding schools that are not aren't necessarily in a school zone.  The department does not keep a record of those citations.

"Even though people don't see the officer there, that doesn't mean that they don't either take action or show up and take care of it at another time," he said.

Martin says school zone violations are offenses the department takes seriously.

Crossing guards can take down your tag number and report violations.  Martin says the police department police will use that information to track down the vehicle's owner and send a warning letter.  Officer can also decide whether to use that information alone to write a citation.

Because police are lacking resources, Martin says the responsibility of keeping our children safe, falls on the driver.

"We want to protect our kids. The last thing we want them to do is go to school, trying to get an education and get hurt by somebody not paying attention while driving through a school zone. Ultimately it falls on that one individual, singular person to up hold the law," Martin said.
 
Police asks anyone who notices school zone speeders to take down as much information as possible and report it.  Martin said more patrol time will be devoted to problem school zones.Cars Caught Speeding In School Zones

Posted: Thursday, February 14 2013, 10:21 PM CST