All Arizona drivers have experienced that panic stricken moment when the flash of a traffic camera goes off. Immediately, they check their speedometers and glance around to see if someone else could have been the cause. These anxieties will not be put at ease any time soon as additional mobile photo enforcement devices are implemented around school zones in Scottsdale.
Drivers Beware
Since July 21, portable towers have been randomly placed in Scottsdale’s 31 different school sites and the devices will be moved to other high-traffic areas when school is not in session.
School zones are already danger zones for drivers who do not adhere to the strict speed limit. Speeding drivers face harsh fines in addition to other penalties depending on the speed the driver was going at the time of the incident.
In fact, it’s very plausible that a regular speeding ticket could become a criminal speeding ticket when you add school zone enforcement to the equation. Here’s how: If a school zone is normally 40 mph during non-school hours,you can easily end up with a criminal ticket if you get caught during the zone hours thinking otherwise. And criminal speeding tickets are much more impactful on any driving record.
“Speeding in a school zone is never a good idea,” said an attorney. “But there are already police officers in the area while school is in session waiting for someone to violate the speed limit. Adding portable towers to those zones means the area will be constantly monitored.”
According to Arizona Driving University, “in this state, all typical speeding citation fines are doubled, with some of the proceeds going toward the Safe Routes to School statewide program. According to this legislation, passed in 2006, if a moving traffic violation is committed while the school zone lights are flashing or the “Stop When Children in Crosswalk” signs are posted, the fine will be an automatic minimum of $200. Depending on the offense, you might also get two or three points on your license. You may or may not be eligible to attend defensive driving school to erase your penalties.”
Why are these photo enforcement towers necessary? Most drivers may view the portable towers as an inconvenience, but statistics have shown that the presence of the photo enforcement devices lead to a decrease in the number of car collisions overall.
“No one enjoys dealing with driving fines and citations from traffic cameras,” said Christopher P. Corso, Esq. “But if the presence of a photo enforcement device alone can reduce the number of car collisions, then they can be considered somewhat beneficial to society.”
How can drivers combat getting ticketed in these new enforcement areas? Simple, slow down. Being aware that enforcement has increased in these areas will help drivers to be more aware of their surroundings and make the road safer for all drivers.
