School zone speed cameras are now active in Orange County.
Last year, the county entered into an agreement with Altumint, Inc., a Maryland-based company that engineers, manufactures and supports a visual citation process. The cameras were installed this spring and create a citation for anyone exceeding the speed limit by 10 mph or higher during school arrival and dismissal times. The citations are then verified by a local deputy and mailed to the registered address of the vehicle owner. The fine for the citation can’t exceed $100 and is a civil penalty which doesn’t affect a driver’s DMV record or insurance.
“We’re not wanting people to get citations,” sheriff Jason Smith said when implementing the program. “We’re wanting people to slow down.”
The speed cameras, including equipment and maintenance, are funded through the payment of the violations. No county funding is used. The program also includes increased signage to alert drivers of approaching camera enforced areas.
Cameras are active during the school hours while flashing warning lights are on–approximately one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon. Cameras were installed in all of the county’s school zones except Gordon-Barbour and Orange elementary schools and Orange County High School, which all have slower speed limits due to being within town limits.
