ALBANY, N.Y. (WKBW) — Governor Cuomo signed legislation establishing a speed camera program in school zones in the City of Buffalo. Earlier this year, Buffalo Common Council had already lowered school zone speed limits to 15 mph.
The program allows Buffalo to enforce speed limits in school zones using cameras. They will record speeding violations in real time without the need for a police officer at the scene. The city can then use this evidence to impose liability on the owner of the vehicle for the speeding violation.
Under the previous law, a police officer must be present at the scene of a speeding violation to observe the violation and serve the driver with a fine.
"We know that speed cameras are effective at cracking down on reckless driving - just look at the successful program in New York City which is literally saving lives every day," Governor Cuomo said. "By signing this measure into law we will ensure motorists who selfishly endanger children and families around Buffalo's schools will be held accountable and help prevent future tragedies."
Mayor Byron Brown said, "I thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership on public safety issues, and for signing this life-saving bill into law. School speed zone cameras and new signage will remind all motorists to slow down, obey traffic laws and will keep our children safe."
As 7 Eyewitness News previously reported back in March, the state legislature approved the same kind of motion for New York City schools, while also allowing Buffalo to launch a pilot program. Since the activation of the cameras in New York City, the number of people killed or severely injured in crashes in school zones with speed cameras declined by 21 percent, and the rate of daily violations for excessive speeding has declined by over 60 percent.
