Utilizing Technology To Keep Kids Safe

By John Robison

Protecting children and keeping drivers safe on local roads are two top priorities for Alpharetta police officers. In 2019, the Alpharetta City Council approved the use of cameras in school zones, which allows Alpharetta law enforcement to leverage available technology to focus on these priorities by addressing the ongoing issue of drivers speeding through these areas.

The goals in utilizing this technology are to increase student safety, change driver behavior, and reduce complaints. This initiative will include a constant enforcement presence in school zones, traffic data collection, and the use of automated license plate reading (ALPR) capabilities. The enforcement system is completely violator funded, and the vendor company will incur all equipment installation, calibration, and maintenance costs as well as all costs associated with collection and distribution of fines.

During the 2017-18 legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly passed House Bill 978, allowing the use of photo/video enforcement in school zones under State Statutes 40-6-163 and 40-14-18. This law established guidelines for local legislation and requires school board endorsement and state permitting in order to execute and implement the use of camera enforcement. The Fulton County Board of Education and the Georgia Department of Transportation have been extremely supportive in ensuring this safety initiative is implemented.

This legislative change allows Alpharetta Police to address the overwhelming number of speeding complaints in nine school zones by using technology versus manpower. A 2019 study determined that in one day there were over 3,557 speeding violations in six school zones during a 9-10 hour period (violations were not measured in all locations or directions of travel). These violations were at least 11 mph over the posted speed limit.

In the past decade, Georgia has become one of the five deadliest states for pedestrians, with the seventh highest fatality rate. Automated enforcement is endorsed as a safety tool by the Governors Highway Safety Association, AAA, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the National Safety Council.

The cameras operate from one hour before school until one hour after school, only on school days. A sworn police officer reviews and approves each citation before it is issued. The cameras enforce the lowered school zone speed limit during the morning and afternoon school zone periods (i.e., when the lights are flashing during the times posted on the signs). 

Alpharetta police officers will use traditional methods to address speed enforcement outside of those times. Once a violation is confirmed, the ticket will be mailed to the registered owner of the offending vehicle. This is a civil citation, so there will be no impact on the drivers insurance rates, and no points added to any drivers record.

The following link provides a brief overview of the program: Youtube.com/watch?v=aFTlloHpB60.