In an effort to enhance student safety, while also supporting the efforts of local law enforcement to crack down on speeders, Nassau County lawmakers passed a resolution in June, allowing for the deployment of speed enforcement camera systems in school zones for all of the 56 public school districts in the county.
Now, with school already in session, mobile speed cameras have been deployed, issuing violations to any speeders who zip past the Paul D. Schreiber Senior High School in Port Washington. The cameras are designed to take a snapshot of anyone exceeding the posted school zone limit (20 mph) by a speed of 11 or more miles per hour, so drivers are encouraged to travel with caution during school hours.
“We sincerely believe that these cameras will improve the safety for students in and around their school,” said Nassau County Traffic Safety Coordinator Christopher M. Mistron. “It is our hope that the installation of speed cameras will slow down traffic and improve the safety environment around our schools sufficiently to allow children to walk to school.”
Mistron also told the Port Washington News that prior to the enactment of this law, Nassau County conducted a traffic study in front of several schools, finding an average 200 motorists traveling 25 mph or more above the posted limit. Similarly, he said that districts in other states that have deployed speed cameras around school zones found an 80 percent drop in violations.
“It has already had a positive effect around the country,” he said, “I want this to be a dinner conversation. Positive or negative, they’ll cause some discussion.”
As of press time, only two mobile cameras have been deployed within the Town of North Hempstead; the first at Schreiber High School and a second at Great Neck North Middle School.
