Cameras are now active in the Anna Maria Elementary School speed zone.
And early results are concerning Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer.
Tokajer told The Islander Aug. 21 that the automated speed enforcement system in the zone along Gulf Drive triggered 77 warnings for speeding violations over its first week, which began Aug. 11, the first day of school for the 2025-26 school year.
Holmes Beach has a citywide 25-mph speed limit, but the school zone has a 15-mph reduced speed limit when it is active, 7:30 a.m.-8:40 a.m., as school opens, and 2:45 p.m.-3:45 p.m., during student dismissal.
The school zone is active 1:35 p.m.-2:20 p.m. on AME’s early release days.
Each of the 77 motorists who triggered warnings was driving 11 mph or more over the reduced speed limit.
The motorist with the highest speed of the bunch was clocked driving through the school zone at 32 mph, more than double the 15-mph reduced speed limit.
Tokajer said that of the 77 motorists clocked speeding over the first week, 13 were driving vehicles registered to Anna Maria Island residents.
Over two school days in the following week, Aug. 18-19, the automated camera system detected another 60 speeding violations in the active school zone, according to Tokajer.
He said the camera system’s early results have been “enlightening,” especially over the first week, which saw an increased first responder presence in the zone.
Over that week, three police vehicles, two fire engines and an ambulance were positioned at the school with their emergency lights flashing mornings and afternoons while the school zone was active.
“And we still had 77 people that were going 11 mph over or higher,” Tokajer said. “Which is just crazy to think that, even with all that police and first responder presence, we still had that many speeders.”
So far, the only repercussions have been warnings.
However, that is set to change soon.
Tokajer said the automated camera system would stop issuing warnings and begin issuing $100 violations for speeding on Wednesday, Sept. 10.
Violations are sent via mail to the registered owners of the vehicles caught speeding.
He added that there is no excuse for motorists not to be aware of the 15-mph reduced speed limit since they must pass multiple signs with flashing lights and the posted speed limit.
Tokajer said he remained hopeful that the automated system’s issuance of violations would curb speeding.
“We’re hoping that, once the citations start going out, that changes behavior,” Tokajer said. “We’re only doing it during the time when there’s activity, not for the entirety of the day. … We’re not doing it as a money grab. We’re doing it to protect the children that are going to this elementary school.”