Cameras added to Dublin roads to reduce speeding
DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- Dublin police say a main concern for residents is the amount of speeding they see in the city. So back in the fall, they introduced a program called Slow Down Dublin. And now, the department has a new tool to help combat high speeds.
If you live or drive in Dublin you may have noticed speed safety cameras on the side of the road. They’ll soon be used to send warnings to drivers who are going too fast.
“If you’re going 40 miles an hour and you happen to strike a pedestrian, there’s a 75 percent chance that you’re going to cause serious injury or death as a result of that crash. And if you are going 25 miles an hour, that percentage is down to 25 percent,” said Sgt. David Gatterdam with Dublin Police.
So the goal with these new speed safety cameras is to let drivers in the Dublin area know when they are driving over the speed limit.
“We have a limited number of officers so this is one tool that we can put that is constantly like an officer being there 24/7,” said Gatterdam.
The cameras track license plate numbers and then police will send a warning letter to the driver’s home. It’s not a ticket or citation, just a notice that you were going too fast and need to slow down.
“It’s all about safety. A lot of times crashes are not caused by speed alone but it is something that enhances the crash,” said Gatterdam.
Right now, the cameras are in four places around town: near Bridgepark, Dublin City Schools’ Emerald Campus and in two spots along Muirfield Drive. But these are not permanent locations.
“The goal is to move them around to areas where we do have speeding issues and speeding concerns. Like right now I’m sitting on two or three requests from residents that they want them on their street,” said Gatterdam.
The speed safety cameras are not operational yet, but Gatterdam said it’s only a matter of time before people start getting warnings in their mailboxes. The city has many resources with ‘Slow Down Dublin’ including a speed management toolbox you can get and data the police department collected.
Click the link to learn more about Slow Down Dublin.