Lake Wales School Zone Speed Violations Halved Due to Speed Detection System, Data Shows
by James Coulter
Traffic cameras and speeding tickets may be unpopular with drivers, but stricter enforcement has led to a 50 percent reduction in speeding violations in Lake Wales school zones. That was the main takeaway from the annual report on the city’s School Zone Speed Detection System.
At their regular meeting on Tues., Oct. 20, 2026, Lake Wales city commissioners were given a presentation on the mandatory annual data for school zone speed enforcement during the previous school year, as presented by Lt. Andrew Brown of the Lake Wales Police Department.
From March through June, the city’s school zones recorded 8,662 violations issued to drivers traveling more than 10 mph above the posted speed limit. Of those citations, 5,818 were paid, and 28 were contested.
The citations generated $515,613.96 in revenue. After required disbursements, the city received $228,561.30, while $126,871.21 went to the State of Florida, $66,193.68 to the Polk County School District, and $27,580.70 to support school crossing guards.
City commissioners approved the School Zone Speed Detection System in 2024 to reduce speeding around local schools. Cameras enforce speed limits near Hillcrest Elementary, Lake Wales High School, and McLaughlin Academy of Excellence. Drivers caught traveling more than 10 MPH over the posted limit receive a $100 citation, which Lake Wales police officers review before it is issued.
Brown emphasized that the program’s purpose is to improve safety rather than generate revenue. While some drivers have accumulated multiple violations, officers have contacted repeat offenders directly in an effort to change their behavior.
“The whole purpose of this program is not the numbers or the money; we would rather just see behavior change,” Brown said. “We have individuals that decide to go through it 20 times, and they do it every day. We could allow them to rack up more fines, but we actually do go to their homes and knock on their door and tell them the problem.”
Brown said the program has already helped reduce speeding violations by 50 percent. He added that communities with similar systems often see reductions of up to 80 percent.
Despite the improvement, dangerous incidents still occur. Brown said that his assistant frequently reviews videos showing reckless driving in school zones, including one in which a vehicle traveling 60 MPH narrowly missed a mother and child crossing the road.
Commissioner Carol Gillespie asked whether certain school zones generated more violations than others, noting concerns about Burns Avenue, where school zone markings can be difficult to notice.
Brown responded that the Hillcrest school zone, which serves Spook Hill Elementary, Victory Ridge Academy and Hillcrest High School, records the highest number of violations because of its road design.
“It is built like a racetrack with five lanes and wide open, and people do not slow down,” he said. “As a patrol cop, that is where I liked to sit. I would get the craziest speeds up to 90 to 100 MPH.”
Commissioner Keith Thompson also asked about discrepancies between citations issued and citations paid. Brown said that the figures fluctuate regularly because drivers are given time to pay citations, and the data is continuously updated.
“I pull the data, and then an hour later I pull the data; those citations are going to change,” he said. “It is constantly changing.”
