MACON, Ga. — August 1st marks the start of a new month, a new school year, and it's the date when Bibb County will start to fully enforce its speed limits around schools using its automated camera systems.
Brandi Paul hasn't gotten a ticket but says she doesn't mind the cameras. She says it's a way to ensure others slow down when kids are in the area.
"A child could get hit, they could get injured, or they could die, and we don't want that to happen," says Paul.
"We have over 30 schools in Macon-Bibb county, and it's hard to keep all of them safe since we're short on officers. One of the ways we can keep them safe is through the speed zone cameras," says Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller.
Miller says the cameras are already proving their value because they see drivers are slowing down.
"Our goal is to get them to all the schools, public, private and charter," says Mayor Miller.
Cameras will enforce the speed limit at Northeast High, Appling Middle, Rutland Middle and High School. There will also be cameras at Weaver Middle, Westside High, Ballard Hudson Middle, Ingram Pye Elementary and Southwest High School.
More are on the way. Several private and charter schools have agreed to have speed limits enforced around them through the cameras. They are Stratford Academy, First Presbyterian Day School, Windsor Academy, and ACE.
Private and charter schools are expected to have cameras up and running within 90 days. The cameras enforce the speed limit on days when classes are in session, from one hour before the start of school to one hour after kids are dismissed.