The city of Poulsbo recently announced a new program to increase safety for road users by curbing speeding and reckless driving in the community’s most vulnerable locations.
The Automated Traffic Safety Program will use three safety products: school zone speed, park zone speed and red-light safety cameras, a city news release states. The program’s goal is to reduce excessive speeding and change driver behavior to help keep residents safe.
Each program will be at a different location: Poulsbo Elementary School, Fish Park and the intersection of Highway 305 and Bond Road. The program will deploy state-of-the-art safety cameras that will be strategically positioned to enforce and uphold laws pertaining to speeding in and around those safety zones, per the release.
Each program will launch a 30-day warning period that will aim to educate residents on the program, the dangers of speeding and running red lights, and the consequences of illegal behavior within the enforcement areas. After the warning period, registered vehicle owners will be issued violations for any vehicle photographed speeding through the enforcement areas.
The monetary penalty for a red-light infraction or park zone speed infraction is $145. The school zone speed infraction will be implemented at three levels: vehicles exceeding the speed limit by 6-10 miles per hour is $150; 11-15 mph is $200; and 16 mph and over is a $250 fine.
“With the implementation of this collaborative and proven safety program, we are taking a proactive approach towards reducing speeding violations and promoting safe driving habits around our community,” Poulsbo police chief Ron Harding said. “This initiative helps us expand our ability to change driver’s behavior and enhance public safety.”
The city partnered with Verra Mobility, a leader in automated traffic safety technology, to administer and implement each safety program. While the technology will be administered through the company, police will oversee, review and approve every violation prior to issuing a citation, the release concludes.
