Cape Coral School Zone Speed Cameras Are Now Active — And They’re Watching

Cape Coral drivers officially have one more reason to ease off the gas pedal near schools.

The city’s new RedSpeed school-zone cameras are now active, and drivers who go more than 10 mph over the applicable speed limit during enforcement hours can receive a $100 civil violation in the mail. 

So if you were one of those people who treated the flashing school-zone lights as a decorative suggestion…

Congratulations.

The sign now has backup.

The Camera Doesn’t Need a Coffee Break

Cape Coral Police says the cameras operate on school days only and are active:

• 30 minutes before school starts
• during school hours
• 30 minutes after school ends

When the school-zone lights are flashing, the reduced school-zone speed limit applies. When they are not flashing but school is still in session, the regular posted speed limit applies. In either case, drivers exceeding the applicable limit by more than 10 mph can receive a violation. 

For example, the police department says driving 31 mph in a 20 mph zone is enough to trigger a citation. 

Translation:

20 mph sign: “Please drive 20.”

Driver:

“How about 31?”

Camera:

“How about $100?”

Sixteen School Zones Are on the List

Cape Coral Police says RedSpeed cameras have been permitted at 16 school zones, including Ida S. Baker High School, Challenger Middle School, Mariner Middle School, Cape Elementary, Gulf Elementary, Trafalgar Elementary and several others. 

And these are not supposed to be mystery cameras hidden behind palm trees.

The city says each enforced school zone includes signage warning drivers that photo enforcement is in use. 

So the general sequence is:

School sign.

Flashing lights.

Photo-enforcement warning.

Speed-limit sign.

Camera.

And somehow there will still be someone saying:

“How was I supposed to know?”

Yes, It’s $100

A violation carries a $100 civil penalty and is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. Cape Coral Police says the violation does not add points to the driver’s license and does not affect insurance. 

Vehicle owners can also contest the violation before a local magistrate. 

So this is not quite:

“Straight to jail.”

It is more:

“Straight to the mailbox.”

Someone Still Reviews the Ticket

The system uses radar or laser technology to identify vehicles traveling above the threshold and records photo and video evidence. Cape Coral Police says a certified law-enforcement officer or traffic-infraction enforcement officer reviews the violation before a notice is issued. 

That matters because the camera isn’t simply taking a picture and immediately launching a $100 invoice into cyberspace.

There is supposed to be a human review before the citation goes out. 

Which means somewhere in Cape Coral, a person may now spend part of the day watching motorists fly through school zones and thinking:

“Really?”

“Really?”

“Seriously?”

“Another one?”

Where Does the Money Go?

Cape Coral Police says revenue collected from the violations goes to the City of Cape Coral and is restricted to public-safety uses under Florida law. 

The city says the purpose of the program is safety: consistent enforcement without having to station police officers in every school zone every day. 

And that is the serious argument in favor of the cameras.

Kids are walking, biking, getting dropped off and crossing streets around these schools.

If drivers are blasting through those areas at 10, 15 or 20 mph above the limit, somebody eventually gets hurt.

A camera doesn’t get distracted.

It doesn’t have to answer another call.

And it doesn’t decide:

“Eh, I’ll let that one go.”

But You Know What Comes Next

There will almost certainly be a debate over whether this is really about safety or whether it becomes a revenue generator.

That debate follows nearly every automated traffic-enforcement program.

Supporters will say:

“Just don’t speed and you’ll never pay a dime.”

Opponents will say:

“This is automated ticketing.”

Both sides will have plenty to argue about.

But there is one very easy way to make absolutely certain Cape Coral never makes $100 from you through one of these cameras:

Drive the speed limit.

It’s annoyingly simple.

Cape Crazy Translation

City:

“Please slow down around schools.”

Drivers:

“Okay.”

City:

“Seriously.”

Drivers:

“Sure.”

City:

“We installed cameras.”

Drivers:

“Wait, what?”

Camera:

📸

Mailbox three weeks later:

“Hello.”

IS THIS CRAZY OR NOT?

Cape Coral now has automated speed enforcement in school zones, with a $100 penalty for going more than 10 mph over the applicable limit.

Is it a smart way to protect kids?

Or have we entered the era where even the school-zone sign has a billing department?

Tap an icon to vote.