Leaders in Arlington, Virginia, are considering increasing the fines for cars caught driving too fast by speed cameras in school crossing zones and highway work zones.
Currently, speed camera tickets come with a $50 fine. However, the county board is exploring whether to increase that fine to $100, the maximum amount allowed under Virginia law.
鈥淭his is a very serious problem, with speeding and crashes,鈥� said Takis Karantonis, the board鈥檚 vice chair. 鈥淭he last couple of years have been really, really problematic. We have had a lot of accidents in our streets, not only in Arlington and the entire region 鈥� actually, in the entire nation.鈥�
If approved, the change would go into effect July 1. According to , the shift follows regional trends.
Alexandria, Manassas City and Fauquier County all use the $100 fines. Nearby Fairfax County, meanwhile, issues fines for either $50, $75 or $100, depending on how high above the speed limit a car is going.
The increased fines would bring in an estimated additional $450,000 in county revenue, the county said.
But, Karantonis said, 鈥渞evenue is really not what we are aiming at.鈥�
One in four fatal or critical crashes in Arlington involve speeding, according to the documents, and many residents write to board members about traffic or street safety concerns.
鈥淲e really want to send a strong signal that speeding matters a lot,鈥� Karantonis said.
Increasing speeding penalties is just part of the county鈥檚 strategy in working to make roads safer, he said.
鈥淚 know that just with a fine, that we are not going to reduce significantly the tendency of some people to forget that they are in a residential area when they drive,鈥� he said.
A public hearing on the change is scheduled for April 4, and a vote is expected later that month.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
漏 2024 海角精品黑料. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
