EUSTIS, Fla. – It’s been nearly two weeks since drivers started receiving citations if they’re caught on camera speeding through the Eustis Elementary school zone.
“If you speed in a school zone in Eustis, you’re probably going to get a ticket and it’s going to cost you $100,” Eustis police Chief Craig Capri said.
In the first two weeks of citations being issued, after the five-week warning period where more than 700 warnings were issued, Capri said they had 382 violations.
“I didn’t think we’d have numbers like this,” Capri said. “I was hoping we’d have minimal numbers but unfortunately, people don’t pay attention.”
The cameras are operational Monday through Friday while school is in session — not just when the school zone sign is flashing. When the sign isn’t flashing, the speed limit is 40 mph. When it is flashing, it’s 20 mph.
The police department told us the biggest violation they’ve seen when the speed limit is 40 is someone driving 70 mph. They also said when the speed limit is 20, the cameras caught someone going 47 mph.
“I’ve been out that intersection several times and you see these young kids, I’m talking, you know, 5, 6 years old, walking with their mom or their dad crossing that busy intersection,” Capri said. “You got this person speeding down the street, not paying attention. It just takes a split second for them not to realize what’s going to happen.”
Capri said should you receive a citation, you have 30 days to either appeal it or pay the $100 fine before it results in a moving violation and points on your license.
“I hope we don’t have to write these tickets to these people and give them a civil citation,” Capri said. “I hope they just slow down at the end of the day, it’s real easy. It’s you. You can, it’s in your hands. You can control this. Slow down. It’s all you got to do. Slow down.”
Capri said they are hoping to install more of the cameras near Eustis Heights and Eustis High School before the new school year.
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