Jackson officers crack down on school zone speeders
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JACKSON, Tenn. — As more kids head back to class, police and crossing guards work to keep students safe in school zones. Rain or shine, James Tipler reports to work at Pope Elementary School. “Some people say ‘well, you run a tight ship,'” he said. “No. This is a school zone.” Tipler is a crossing guard, responsible for getting kids to school and drivers in and out safely. “Every now and then you’ll have somebody, you know, and I’ll give them an expression,” he said. “Do you not know what this S-T-O-P means stop?” Jackson police said the most common violation in school zones is speeding. Officer Jeff Wood said he has caught drivers doing more than double the posted limit. “The speed zones are set for a reason,” he said. “Slower the speed, the more likely a driver is to be able to react to something.” Wood said he can write anywhere from about three to five tickets a morning in school zones. “The base fine is $54.50, and then there’s a dollar added for each mile over the speed limit,” he said. Tipler said some drivers still respect schools and children. “You work with the people, the people will work with you,” he said. Despite speeders and traffic, Wood said school zones in Jackson are relatively accident free. Officers encourage drivers to avoid distractions like cell phones and obey the speed limit and crossing guards.
