Q&A: RedSpeed traffic cams

The new "Redspeed speeding cameras" officially went live this morning on the stretch of Ga. 49 in front of Baldwin High School.

The month of November will serve as a "grace period," while motorists will begin being ticketed on Dec. 1. When that does happen, inevitably, there will be some hurt feelings and hurting bank accounts.

For example, during  the first month-and-a-half of the "enforcement period" on Elbert Street in front of Georgia Military College this spring, a total of 434 traffic citations were mailed out, or more than $30,000 worth. The most egregious infraction was a motorist who was clocked doing 67 miles per hour through the GMC school zone during school hours, according to the data.

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The first citation, for any motorist traveling more than 10 miles per hour over the post school zone speed limit, is $75, with each additional citation $125.

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

• QUESTION: What does the MPD get out of it?
• ANSWER: The revenue split is 65 percent for the MPD and 35 percent for RedSpeed, the company that’s partnering with the city and handling all of the equipment and operations. The revenue for the MPD “can only be spend on new police equipment or for school safety programs,” said Milledgeville Police Department Chief Dray Swicord. This, theoretically, would include school assemblies focusing on driving safety and other brochures and literature.
• QUESTION: Will a citation impact my driver’s license?
• ANSWER: The RedSpeed citations will not cause drivers “to lose points on their licenses,” according to Milledgeville Police Chief Dray Swicord. “It’s simply a civil summons against the owner of the vehicle,” he added
• 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.

The MPD issued a graphic on Monday, pictured above, as well as a release:

On November 1st, 2021, the City of Milledgeville will start Automated Enforcement of School Zone Speeds in front of Baldwin High School on Highway 49. For the first 30 days, violators will only receive warnings. After the 30 day grace period violators will began receiving citations. Please drive carefully!