Leaders in Arlington, Virginia, are considering increasing the fines for cars caught driving too fast by speed cameras in school crossing zones and highway work zones.
Currently, speed camera tickets come with a $50 fine. However, the county board is exploring whether to increase that fine to $100, the maximum amount allowed under Virginia law.
“This is a very serious problem, with speeding and crashes,” said Takis Karantonis, the board’s vice chair. “The last couple of years have been really, really problematic. We have had a lot of accidents in our streets, not only in Arlington and the entire region — actually, in the entire nation.”
If approved, the change would go into effect July 1. According to county documents, the shift follows regional trends.
Alexandria, Manassas City and Fauquier County all use the $100 fines. Nearby Fairfax County, meanwhile, issues fines for either $50, $75 or $100, depending on how high above the speed limit a car is going.
The increased fines would bring in an estimated additional $450,000 in county revenue, the county said.
But, Karantonis said, “revenue is really not what we are aiming at.”
One in four fatal or critical crashes in Arlington involve speeding, according to the documents, and many residents write to board members about traffic or street safety concerns.
“We really want to send a strong signal that speeding matters a lot,” Karantonis said.
Increasing speeding penalties is just part of the county’s strategy in working to make roads safer, he said.
“I know that just with a fine, that we are not going to reduce significantly the tendency of some people to forget that they are in a residential area when they drive,” he said.
A public hearing on the change is scheduled for April 4, and a vote is expected later that month.
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