HOMER – Drivers accustomed to speeding through Banks County on U.S. 441/Ga. 15 on school days soon should take note of new measures in place to improve safety of those traveling near the county’s schools.
The Banks County Sheriff’s Office, in cooperation with the Banks County Board of Education and Banks County Commission, has added camera-equipped speed detection devices to the county school zones, both on U.S. 441/Ga. 15 and on Historic Homer Highway.
The camera-equipped speed detection system recently was approved for use by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
“Our school zone speed safety program for the middle and high schools started on Monday, Jan. 25, which commenced our 30-day warning period,” said Banks County Sheriff’s Maj. Carissa McFaddin. “Even after adding a concentrated area of traffic enforcement in these zones, we continue to encounter people driving well above the speed limit. We continuously explore options to ensure motorists respect the law and the safety of our children. While there is the option of hiring additional deputies, this would be costly to the taxpayer and doesn’t necessarily mean that the deputy would be ever-present in our school zones. With that being said, we have found this speed camera solution fits in agreeably with our public safety strategies.”
Optotraffic is the firm that partnered with Banks County to install the school zone speed detection cameras.
“This project is strictly about ensuring the improvement of safety in our school zones,” said Sheriff Carlton Speed. “I would rather see the lives of our citizens spared by drivers being more cautious and careful in our school zones than receive one dollar from enforcement fines.”
Speed said fines collected will be used to improve school safety and security projects.
