By Anne White
Greenwich police reported continued problems with speeding in school zones even as the town’s new automated photo-enforcement system moves from warnings to fines. The 30-day grace period that began with the program’s launch in October has expired, and as of November 20, motorists exceeding the school-zone limit by 10 mph or more will receive civil citations rather than warnings.
The department began issuing warnings by mail on October 6, part of a phased introduction intended to push drivers to adjust their habits before monetary penalties began. Those warnings revealed what police described as heavy noncompliance across multiple school corridors. Thousands of vehicles triggered violations during the warning period, reflecting the same pattern documented in the town’s 2024 speed studies, which recorded more than 44,000 violations in five days across several school zones.
The cameras are active at Central Middle School, Glenville School, Greenwich Academy, Greenwich High School, Parkway School, North Street School, Brunswick Lower School, and Eagle Hill School. The system identifies vehicles traveling at least 10 mph above the posted speed limit during school-zone hours when beacons are flashing. The technology is limited to school days and operates only when children are present and the school-zone indicators are active.
Police officials said the volume of warnings during the grace period underscored persistent speeding that continues despite posted signs, flashing lights, and earlier public-information efforts. Department data show the highest share of violations involved drivers traveling 11 to 14 mph over the limit, with thousands more recorded in the 15 to 20 mph range. Nearly 2,000 drivers in the 2024 study period were traveling more than 21 mph above the enforceable limit.
The safety rationale behind the enforcement remains a central theme of the department’s communication. Traffic-safety data show that a child struck by a vehicle traveling 40 mph has a low chance of survival, while the survival rate rises dramatically when impact speeds fall to around 20 mph. National data also indicate that most child pedestrian fatalities occur during weekday school-commute hours, reinforcing the department’s concern about driver behavior in the morning and afternoon periods.
Greenwich police said that while some motorists have adjusted their speeds since the cameras were installed, the number of violations issued during the warning period demonstrates that noncompliance remains widespread. Officers monitoring the corridors during drop-off and dismissal report that congestion on East Putnam Avenue, North Street, and feeder roads increases the risks associated with higher speeds near school entrances.
With the transition to full enforcement now in effect, citations will carry civil fines but will not add license points or affect insurance. Police said the intention is not punitive but behavioral — to reduce speed through the most vulnerable parts of the roadway network and to match enforcement with the town’s broader goal of reducing crashes and injuries in school zones.
The department anticipates releasing updated statistics in the coming weeks as the first round of fines is processed. Officials reiterated that drivers should pay close attention to school-zone beacons and signage, particularly during the periods of highest pedestrian activity.
