Kent drivers seem to be slowing down more often when they enter school zones with traffic cameras.
Despite adding cameras at two more elementary schools for the final three months last year, police issued 244 fewer tickets in 2015 compared to 2014. The number dropped from 8,366 to 8,122.
“Maybe the word is getting out and it’s having the intended effect, people are slowing down,” said Assistant Police Chief Rafael Padilla during a report to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee on Feb. 9.
Kent installed its first cameras to catch speeders in 2014 at Neely-O’Brien Elementary, 6300 S. 236th St., and Sunrise Elementary, 22300 132nd Ave. S.E. Last fall, the city added cameras at Meridian Elementary, 25621 140th Ave. S.E., and Millennium Elementary, 11919 S.E. 270th St.
“In terms of trying to figure out why there is a decrease, I don’t have a solid answer,” Padilla said. “I have a couple of speculations. One, the two schools we added have had decreased traffic. And it was our fall and winter season when we tend to see a lower issuance of tickets citywide because people are driving slower because of the weather conditions or such. We think those are the reasons, time will tell.”
Tickets increased by about 600 over the last three months of 2015 compared to 2014 with the two additional schools. But the number had dropped in most of the previous months at Neely-O’Brien and Sunrise in 2015 compared to the previous year.
Police issue a $124 fine for a vehicle exceeding the 20 mph school speed limit by 1 to 9 mph and issue a $248 fine for speeds of 10 mph or faster above the speed limit. The program has brought in more than $1 million to the city. The police department will spend up to $845,000 of the funds on city jail renovations, police overtime costs, a use of force training simulator and traffic safety equipment.
“We added two schools but there is a lower number of tickets, that is surprising,” said Councilman Les Thomas. “Maybe it’s good news for safety reasons.”
More drivers were caught speeding the last three months of 2015 at Neely-O’Brien (907) than any other school. Sunrise was next (778) followed by Meridian (557) and Millennium (362).
“I think the important thing to note is it seems to be working as far as the getting the word out and we really mean it, you are going to get a ticket,” said Councilman Jim Berrios, who chairs the Public Safety Committee. “The intent is to slow everybody down with the kids around.”
Police started the program in January 2014 at the request of Kent School District officials in an effort to get drivers to obey the 20 mph speed limit at schools where traffic studies showed the most speed violations.
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