Eustis leads Florida with school zone speed cameras as other cities plan to follow
EUSTIS, Fla. - The City of Eustis has become the first in Florida to implement school zone speed cameras, a move that Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri says has drawn interest from law enforcement agencies across the state.
"They’ve been very successful," Capri said, noting that other agencies are looking to adopt similar measures.
One of the cameras, installed in March, went live in April after a 30-day warning period. In just seven weeks, nearly 1,300 speeding violations were recorded, surprising Capri.
"That’s a huge number of people speeding through a school zone," he explained.
The initiative gained urgency after a student was struck by a vehicle last school year while walking in a crosswalk near the high school. The driver was reportedly not paying attention.
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Capri hopes the new technology will help reduce such incidents by slowing down drivers in school zones. Speeding in these areas during school hours now carries a $100 fine, a civil infraction that doesn’t affect insurance rates. All fines collected go directly to the department and are used solely for traffic safety and equipment, including hiring more crossing guards.
"It’s not about the money. I hope we get zero violations. If we’re getting zero, that means there’s nobody speeding through here," Capri emphasized.
Eustis PD is working to expand the program to three more schools. Meanwhile, the Leesburg Police Department is preparing to follow Eustis’s lead by installing cameras at all eight of its schools. Sgt. Shannon Walsh of the Leesburg PD confirmed that their program will mirror Eustis’s, with a 30-day warning period followed by a $100 fine.
Leesburg aims to have the cameras operational before the start of the school year. Other cities and law enforcement agencies in Orange, Lake, and Osceola counties are also considering adopting the program.