Thousands of speeding incidents recorded in Charlotte County school zones as commissioners review camera program

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK) — More than 4,100 speeding incidents were recorded in Charlotte County school zones in 91 days, according to new data county commissioners are reviewing at Tuesday’s commissioner meeting.

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The numbers offer the public's first detailed look at the county's school zone speed detection program, which operated from Feb. 27 through May 29 after warning notices were issued during an initial grace period.

During the program's 91-day run, cameras recorded 4,100 speeding incidents across school zones throughout Charlotte County. 

One location stood out: Peace River Elementary School in Port Charlotte, where 824 violations were recorded — the highest total of any school in the county.

After the initial warning period ended, the county began issuing citations on April 1.

Since then, 2,344 speeding tickets have been issued to drivers caught exceeding the speed limit in active school zones. 

Some of the violations were especially alarming. According to the county's presentation, the fastest driver captured by the cameras was traveling 59 miles per hour in a 15-mile-per-hour school zone.

Taken together, the data paints a clear picture of the extent of speeding around Charlotte County schools and offers insight into why county leaders moved forward with the automated enforcement program.

The county's presentation shows the program has generated $156,600 in revenue from citations issued.

According to the county's breakdown:

• 39% ($61,074) is allocated to Charlotte County public safety.
• 21% ($32,886) goes to RedSpeed, the company that operates the camera system.
• 12% ($18,792) goes to Charlotte County Public Schools.
• The remaining funds are distributed among several state funds as required under Florida law.

County commissioners will review the program's early performance during Tuesday afternoon's workshop, where they'll discuss the data, revenue, and next steps for the school zone speed detection program. The discussion could include whether additional school zones may eventually be equipped with speed cameras.

The Charlotte County Board of County Commissioners workshop begins at 2 p.m. at the Charlotte County Administration Center. The meeting is open to the public, and residents will have an opportunity to provide public comment.