More than 4,000 speeders caught by school cameras, netting James City County $355,000+

It's March 27. Cameras installed outside 7 James City County schools have caught more than 4,000 speeders since Oct. 8. A bomb scare at James York Plaza turns out to be false alarm.

Sign outside Lafayette High School warns speeders of traffic camera. (Williamsburg Watch photos)

More than 4,000 speeders got tickets after being nabbed by school cameras at James City County schools through January, generating more than $355,000 in fines.

Police said at the time that a five-day speed study conducted in the fall of 2023 at three county schools — Norge Elementary, Toano Middle and Stonehouse Elementary — found 66% of drivers exceeded the school zone speed limit by more than 10 mph.

At Norge Elementary, 91% of drivers were speeding, police said.

James City partnered with Blue Line Solutions to set up devices to monitor speed using a laser-powered system known as LIDAR. The system triggers cameras to photograph the license plates of vehicles violating the speed limit by at least 10 miles per hour during scheduled school zone hours.

All the pictures are reviewed at the company’s Tennessee center and certified by sworn officers before tickets go out, police said.

Drivers who are caught speeding have the option to pay a $100 fine and avoid points on their license, or they…