Charlotte County to enforce speed limits with cameras in school zones

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. —

Charlotte County is set to implement camera enforcement in school zones to curb speeding and enhance safety.

Caitlin Greenwood in Port Charlotte expressed her approval of the new measures.

"I'm glad that something is happening because I hate driving right now. I think it should have been done before, but I'm glad it's being done now," Greenwood said.

Don D., a neighbor of Liberty Elementary School, shared similar concerns about safety.

"I feel unsafe backing out of my driveway. The speeds the cars come through here, I've had them come up on me far faster than if they were going the speed limit," he said.

The county plans to start fining drivers caught on camera speeding through school zones, with the goal of encouraging drivers to slow down and prevent harm to students. Most of the revenue from fines will be allocated to the county's public safety department, with other parts going towards initiatives like improving school walkways.

During the first phase, warnings will be issued to drivers speeding near nine schools (Deep Creek, Liberty, Neil Armstrong, and Peace River Elementary, L.A. Ainger, Murdock, and Port Charlotte Middle School, and Lemon Bay and Port Charlotte High School).

Don D. emphasized the need for constant enforcement.

"Speeding through the area has become a real problem. I agree with the cameras. I think they need to be installed and activated, but I think they need to be active all the time due to the speeds that this road has traveled," he said.

The warning period begins Feb. 27, with $100 fines starting April 1.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.