APD Ramps Up School Zone Citations
A ticket for using a cell phone in a school zone is about $300 dollars. Photo courtesy flickr.com/photos/sevenbirchesThe Austin Police Department will start cracking down tomorrow on drivers who speed, use their phones or ignore other traffic laws in school zones.
Undercover officers will be at schools across the city to catch violators. Last year, APD wrote over 5,900 school zone citations. So far this year, they’ve written about 4,500.
“Really, the violators are typically the parents. That’s who is in these school zones at these times,” said APD Commander Jason Dusterhoft. “That’s why we really try to push that this is for the safety of your own kids [and] for the other kids that go to your school. We want to make sure that everyone has a great summer and that means everyone has to be safe.”
A ticket for using a phone in a school zone is about $300 dollars and passing a school bus could cost $600 dollars.
Those who are cited during this crackdown will have the option to serve as a crossing guard and write an essay, or give a presentation on what they’ve learned instead of paying the full ticket price.
The initiative runs through May 24.
