Jackson police look for speeders in school zones
JACKSON, Tenn. — School is back in session. Slow down in school zones or pay the price.
Willie Tyson watches traffic in front of Alexander Elementary in Jackson. “I see people putting on makeup, sometimes I see them on the phone,” he said. “I see them playing with their dogs.”
Now in his twelfth year as a crossing guard, Tyson has never missed a day getting kids to and from school safely. “It’s a job nobody wants to do, but it’s a job somebody has to do,” he said.
Jackson police said speeding is the biggest issue they see in school zones. “If the school zone’s 15 some drivers will push it up to 25,” Traffic Enforcement Officer Jeff Wood said. “I’ve even had some come through 40 miles an hour.”
Wood said he’s written anywhere from three to five tickets a day. “Most drivers don’t do right at the speed limit,” he said.
Get caught speeding in a school zone and be prepared to get a ticket and pay a fine. “We have a base fine,” Wood said. “It’s $77 and then for speeding you add a dollar for every mile over the speed limit.”
Officers encourage drivers to obey crossing guards. “Just slow down and pay attention,” Tyson said. “It only takes about 20 seconds to get through the school zone.”
Jackson police said drivers are also required to yield to children in the crosswalk.
Officers said some school zones are 15 others are 20, so pay attention to the signs. Wood said they move around to different school zones throughout the city.
