- House lawmakers are considering lowering the current $1,000 school zone speeding fine to $500, with some proposing a tiered system starting at $300.
- Over 350 drivers in Georgia have been unable to renew their vehicle registrations due to unpaid school zone fines.
- Watch the video to hear from Valdosta and Lowndes County School Districts about school safety.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT
Valdosta’s school zones? Busy. W.G. Nunn Elementary? 150 kids crossing, 114 speeders.
Some were going as fast as 65 miles per hour—20 over the limit on any given day.
That’s why safety cameras are everywhere, catching speeders and drivers illegally passing school buses.
The fines? They’ve added up fast, doubling revenue for many of Georgia's Schools. But for some drivers, those tickets have meant big trouble—over 350 people haven’t been able to renew their vehicle registrations because of unpaid fines.
Ken Overman, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations at Lowndes County Schools, says their buses cover a lot of ground.
"Lowndes County Schools approximately has 130 routes per day. Kindergarten through 5th is on a separate bus route from six through 12. Our drivers average about 10,000 miles per day."
House lawmakers want to lower the current $1,000 fine to $500, while some say it should be tiered—starting at $300.
Sabrina Smith, Safety and Security Director for Valdosta City Schools, says the best way to avoid a ticket—or worse—is to pay attention.
"Drivers as they're coming through school zones, it's very important for them to just be mindful and vigilant and observant of students and vehicles. Other vehicles in on the roadway and in our student crosswalks. They have to slow down in areas where students could be crossing or just walking in general."
And Overman keeps it simple:
"And one thing—just watch out for buses, watch out for our kids."
The Georgia General Assembly is still determining new amendments for the school zone violation fees.
In Valdosta, I’m Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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