WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Since the start of the school year, hundreds of drivers in Warner Robins and Houston County have received tickets from cameras in school zones, but some of these drivers say they are angry and confused about when the cameras are active.
Warner Robins Police and Houston County Sheriff's Office monitor six school zones using cameras. The only difference is the time when the cameras are active.
Houston County Sgt. Brett Sanders, of the city's traffic division, explained their policy.
"The school zone is enforced at the reduced speed that're posted on the signs," Sanders said.
This may seem simple because Houston County Sheriff's Office follows Georgia law 40-14-8, which allows school zone cameras to be activated an hour before school and an hour after, but that is only when school is in session.
"The regular speed limit while the children are actually in school is enforced," Sanders said.
So for Houston County High Schools, "that'd be from 8:01 a.m. to 2:29 p.m.," he said.
To put it simply, when driving by Houston County High School or Eagle Springs Elementary School, follow the reduced speed based on the posted hours. Warner Robins has a similar policy, but they added their own touch.
"Now the camera system itself is still running through the day, so after those times in between 9 a.m.-1 p.m., the system will pick up violators. In which case more than likely, people will be seeing warnings being issued to them for speeding in the school zone at that time," Interim Assistant Chief Wayne Fisher of Warner Robins Police said.
Sanders said the posted school hours are not the same at each school, so drivers need to pay attention to the hours on the reduced speed signs. For Warner Robins, Fisher gave definitive hours for each school.
"Monday and Friday the camera system, Red Speed, is active from basically 7 in the morning til 9 is when the enforcement is in the morning, and then the afternoon enforcement will be from 2-4pm," Sanders said.
But all six school zones cameras will not be active when school is not in session including overnight, weekends, and holidays. They will be active during summer school sessions.
The best advice Sanders gives to drivers is simple.
"Be attentive you know the speed limit's visible or it's posted, so I mean the speed limit is just that," Sanders said. "That's the speed limit. That's the maximum they'll allow — or the law allows — you to travel at."
Warner Robins police has jurisdiction over Warner Robins High, Northside High, Huntington Middle, and Lake Joy Elementary School.
Houston County has jurisdiction over Houston County High and Eagle Springs Elementary School.