RedSpeed "school zone speeding cameras" ready for new school year

Today is the first day of school for children within the Baldwin County School District.

For those with children at these schools, it means the end of summer. For everyone else around town, it means that it's time to remember to slow down!

The RedSpeed cameras in front of Baldwin High inevitably began catching speeders this morning, and the tickets soon will be in the mail. Here is the RedSpeed enforcement schedule for school days in front of Baldwin High, with the "posted" speed limit and the "trigger" speed. The "trigger" speed, which is 11 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, is when motorists are ticketed.

BHS/Ga. 49 // "posted" // "trigger"

Meanwhile, on US 441 South in front of Midway Elementary, the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office is rolling out RedSpeed cameras for the very first time. However, there will be a "30-day grace period" for speeders past Midway, which is the standard for new RedSpeed cameras in Baldwin County. In other words, drivers who get caught speeding during school hours in front of Midway during the month of August will receive a warning in the mail. Come September, it's game on. 

441/Midway // "posted" // "trigger"

So, what about Blandy Road in front of the cluster of schools in that area? Well, the cameras haven't been installed yet, although the flashing lights already have. For some unknown reason, the flashing lights have been flashing all summer, even though school has been out and there are no cameras there.

Milledgeville Police Department Chief Dray Swicord said that the RedSpeed cameras on Blandy Road will be installed "most likely at some point this school year."

Meanwhile, the first day for kids at John Milledge Academy isn't until Aug. 10, which means that RedSpeed won't be issuing tickets on Log Cabin Road until that day. Then there's GMC Prep, where kids start back this Friday, and the RedSpeed cameras on Elbert Street once again will go into "enforcement mode" during school hours.

The cost for a first citation this school year has risen from $75 to $80, while each additional citation is $125.

For those who may not be completely familiar with the RedSpeed program, here is some more information in nifty question-and-answer form:

• QUESTION: What does the Milledgeville Police Department and Baldwin County Sheriff's Office get out of it?
• ANSWER: The revenue split is 65 percent for the MPD and BCSO and 35 percent for RedSpeed. RedSpeed is the company that handles all of the equipment and operations. The revenue for law enforcement “can only be spent on new police equipment or for school safety programs and initiatives."
• QUESTION: Will a citation impact my driver’s license?
• ANSWER: The RedSpeed citations will not cause drivers “to lose points on their licenses." “It’s simply a civil summons against the owner of the vehicle,” MPD Chief Dray Swicord said.
• QUESTION: So, why pay the ticket if it doesn't take points off of my license?
• ANSWER: Although drivers and vehicle owners will not lose their licenses for refusing to pay any RedSpeed tickets, they won’t be able to renew their vehicle tags at the Tax Commissioner’s Office, Swicord said.
• QUESTION: What if someone else was driving my car?
• ANSWER: The speeding citation/summons will be issued against the owner of the vehicle caught on camera and not the actual driver. So, if a family member or someone else was borrowing your car and was caught speeding on camera, “that’s up for the vehicle owner and whoever else was involved to figure out how to pay,” said Swicord.

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