Refunds for drivers caught on speed zone cameras in Barrow Co

The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office says people who received speeding tickets after being caught speeding through school zones will be getting refunds: the money goes to those caught driving too fast through a school zone on Highway 11 at Bethlehem Elementary School. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith says a sign alerting drivers to the speed zone was put in the wrong place when it was installed by the Georgia DOT.

From WSB TV…

School speed zone cameras are popping up across the area, but speeders caught by one camera will soon find a refund in the mail.

The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook that GDOT placed a warning sign 419 feet too far from one camera based on current state laws.

The sign and camera are at Highway 11 and McElhannon Road near Bethlehem Elementary School.

Sheriff Jud Smith made the decision to refund all citations from that single camera.

Refunds started going out this week and will include a letter explaining the oversight.

The Sheriff’s Office said it checked all other school zone cameras and signs and they follow state laws.

Sheriff Smith said the overall program has reduced speeding in school zones by 92%.

Dozens of local governments installed cameras in school zones after a change in state law in 2018. Drivers going 10 or more miles per hour over the speed limit during designated times can receive a ticket in the mail.

A 3-month Channel 2 Action News investigation found the speed cameras are a multimillion-dollar business in Georgia.

William Perry with Georgia Ethics Watchdogs views the speed detection cameras as a blatant example of policing for profit.

The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety believes the cameras are working, telling Channel 2 only 8% of tickets are going to repeat offenders.

The Snellville Police Department told Channel 2 it has seen a reduction in school zone accidents but could not provide specific numbers.

The city of South Fulton, which signed with rival camera company Blue Line Solutions, made more than $1.7 million between January 1, 2020, and January 31, 2021.

Norcross made nearly $1.5 million between September 2020 and January 31, 2021.

But not every parent sees this as a blatant example of policing for profit.

“I think for this particular use in school zones, it’s a no brainer,” said Dunwoody father David Ziskind.

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