CAPE CORAL, Fla. — How close are you paying attention to school zones in the morning?
Morning traffic, as frustrating as it is, it's something we all deal with - especially during the school year.
"It takes a while for everybody to kind of get into that routine," said Mercedes Simonds, Cape Coral Police Officer and Spokesperson.
Watch Bella's full report below.
Simonds says the morning commute sees the most speeders, especially at the beginning of the school year.
"Most accidents are completely preventable, and you can save someone else's life. You can potentially save your own life just by being a defensive driver," said Simonds.
Simonds says their team of patrol and motorcycle officers are there to make sure our most vulnerable population is protected.
She says with education and ticketing they are trying to combat some of the most dangerous school zones in the Cape… hopefully preventing a tragedy.
"There's a lot of parents and even residents that see a lot of concerns, so we try to tackle those," said Simonds.
An April 2024 traffic study found that on Skyline Boulevard, by Patriot Elementary School, there were more than 15,000 speeders in one week.
At all 17 schools that were studied in Cape Coral, every school zone had more than 100 speeders going more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit during school zone hours.
"My son did go to Trafalgar Middle and I wouldn't let him walk because that road is very busy," said Sarah Cage, a neighbor.
Cage lives near Trafalgar and Skyline, one of CCPD's most watched areas.
"In the six years I've lived here, three accidents on the corner with cars. All the children walk this street because Trafalgar is so busy, so I'm just scared one day it might be a kid instead of a car accident," said Cage.
"I just want all the people to be aware that school is back in session," said Cage. "These children are our future, and we need to make sure that they are safe."
One solution the City of Cape Coral has come up with is school zone speed detection cameras that will automatically ticket anyone going close to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit during school zone hours.
However, those won't go online until next school year, at the earliest.
"Before those come into play, that's why we're here to make sure that everyone's safe, everyone gets to school and even everyone gets to work safely," said Simonds.
A spokesperson with the Lee County School District said they support any initiatives to keep students safe.
