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Fairfax Co. launches new speed camera program around schools

By Stetson Miller

A new speed camera pilot program which aims to slow vehicles and improve traffic safety in and around schools is underway in Fairfax County, Virginia.

The county began installing eight cameras in school zones on Friday, promising two additional school zones at a later date.

The cameras come after county officials surveyed five school zones in 2022 and found that thousands of drivers exceeded the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour.

The county said the following schools will see cameras installed:

  • Chesterbrook Elementary School: Kirby Road near the school (Dranesville District)
  • Irving Middle School: Old Keene Mill Road near the school (Braddock District)
  • Key Middle School: Franconia Road- near the school (Franconia District)
  • London Towne Elementary School: Stone Road near the school (Sully District)
  • Sleepy Hollow Elementary School: Sleepy Hollow Road near the school (Mason District)
  • South County Middle School: Silverbrook Road near the school (Mt. Vernon District)
  • Terraset Elementary School: Soapstone Drive near the school (Hunter Mill District)
  • West Springfield High School: Rolling Road near the school (Springfield District)

Two additional cameras near Oakton High School (Blake Lane near Sutton Road) and at Route 28 (near Old Mill Road) will be installed later.

A speed limit sign in Fairfax County, Virginia, that warns drivers of additional fines. (WTOP/Stetson Miller)

The program’s goal is to improve safety, while reducing crashes and injuries, county officials said.

“This program, in coordination with the Police Department and Fairfax County Public Schools, is a critical tool to deter dangerous behavior and ultimately save lives,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay in a statement. “As you drive in our neighborhoods and school zones — the message is clear, please take a moment to slow down.”

An escalating fine structure, starting at 10 miles above the speed limit, is in place for the program with fines maxing out at $100. No points or insurance impacts will result from a speed camera citation.

For the first 30 days of the program, drivers will only receive a warning if the speed camera captures them speeding.

Breaking the silence around suicide: A Virginia mother shares thoughts on prevention

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September is Suicide Prevention Month, and Betsy Stephenson, an Alexandria, Virginia, resident and a mother who lost her son to suicide, wants people to talk about it. "By not talking about suicide, we are not going to make it go away. In fact, I think that we could inadvertently give it a little more power than it deserves," she told WTOP. One of the things that Stephenson wants families to know is that people who are struggling can appear to be doing well. "You can be very high-functioning as a depressed person or an anxious person," she said. "You can be connected socially. You can be doing well at school or work. You can be making plans, smiling, laughing, engaged, but still be struggling deeply, you know, cosmically, inside."
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