Richmond drivers rack up $2.5 million in school zone speeding fines
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Richmond drivers have been hit with nearly $2.5 million in fines since speed cameras around city schools went live last year.
Why it matters: City council last month approved a resolution supporting putting more of them near some "high-risk intersections" in the city, per The Richmonder.
The big picture: Richmond was the first locality in the region to start using cameras to deter speeding around schools zones after Virginia authorized the enforcement effort in 2020.
- The city started with four cameras near two elementary schools last spring and has since expanded them to 26 cameras around 13 schools.
- Proceeds from the fines will be used to make city streets safer.
Zoom in: Schools on high-traffic roads, especially ones in South Richmond, are catching the bulk of the speeders, per an Axios review of police data.
- Of the more than 83,000 citations the cameras have issued since launch through July 1, 61% were at just four Richmond schools.
By the numbers: 19,673 citations were at River City Middle School on Hull Street. Those cameras went live last summer and all but 2,864 of those citations were issued this year.
- At Frances McClenney Elementary on Chamberlayne, where cameras went live last summer: 12,831.
- Richmond High School for the Arts, the Midlothian Turnpike school formerly named George Wythe, which went live in February: 10,032.
- 8,394 citations at Huguenot High School on Forest Hill Avenue since the cameras went live last summer.
The intrigue: Data suggests the cameras may be serving their intended purpose: getting drivers to stop speeding through school zones.
- Citations have dropped dramatically year-over-year at the two elementary schools where the first cameras went live in March 2024.
- At Patrick Henry School in South Richmond, there were more than 2,900 citations issued through 2024. So far this year, there are 521.
- At Linwood Holton in Northside: 7,256 last year to 2,190 so far in 2025.
How it works: The cameras run for two hours before and after school when school is in session.
- That includes during summer school, which has wrapped up at all RPS schools except Huguenot High (summer school ends there this week).
- Fines are issued for drivers around going 11 miles or more over the limit and $50 for the first violations, $100 thereafter.
Context: Richmond schools start and end times vary. The last bell at most RPS high schools (and River City Middle) is 4pm.
- That means that cameras around city high schools are live until 6pm, including on Fridays.
- In Chesterfield, which launched cameras around 13 county schools in February, speed enforcement is only in effect for an hour before and after school.
- Chesterfield has issued 6,664 violations for a total $374,000 in fines between Feb. 12 and June 30, per Chesterfield Police.
What's next: A resolution council passed last month calls for Mayor Avula's office to deliver a report with cost estimates and possible locations to expand the speed camera program, per The Richmonder.
- That's due by Dec. 1.