Speed cameras activated in Niceville school zone

NICEVILLE, Fla. — A new speed enforcement program is underway in Niceville, where school zone speed cameras have been installed to improve road safety, according to city officials.

The initiative, which is focused on CW Ruckel Middle School, launched on February 5 with a 60-day warning period before citations begin.

Citations will be issued to drivers exceeding the school zone speed limit by more than 10 mph once the warning phase ends. Officials said the effort aims to curb speeding and reduce risks to students walking to and from school.

“These cameras are part of our ongoing commitment to create safer environments for our students, parents, and community members,” said City Manager David Deitch.

“We all share the responsibility of keeping our roads safe, especially in areas where children are present,”

Niceville Chief of Police Mark Hayse said a recent speed study at Ruckel Middle School revealed a significant number of violations, with thousands of vehicles passing through the school zone daily.

He said more than 1,000 drivers were recorded exceeding the speed limit, and many ignored flashing school zone lights meant to warn them to slow down. He emphasized the risk to students walking to and from school, noting that a high number of violations occurred during key school hours.

“To address these issues, we are implementing new measures,” Chief Hayse said.

“As the city manager mentioned, today marks the beginning of a 60-day warning period and educational campaign. This program is in accordance with Florida’s HB 657 legislation, which permits the operation of speed enforcement cameras 30 minutes before school starts, during school hours, and 30 minutes after dismissal.”

Altumint, a Maryland-based automated traffic enforcement technology provider, is working with the city on the initiative. Kristen Rose, Vice President of Marketing and Public Education at Altumint, said speed enforcement programs have been shown to reduce dangerous driving and improve public safety.

She added that the company is committed to partnering with communities to implement technology that enhances roadway safety.

“We are proud to partner with the city and police department to protect Niceville’s schoolchildren,” Ms. Rose said.

The speed enforcement cameras, located on Palm Boulevard northbound and southbound, will operate in both directions near CW Ruckel Middle School. Altumint will process data within the U.S. to ensure program integrity and privacy.

Once the 60-day warning period concludes, citations will be mailed to violators driving more than 10 mph over the posted speed limit.