New cameras aim to curb speeding near Hallandale Beach schools, but not everyone is on board

New school zone speed cameras in Hallandale Beach are drawing mixed reactions from drivers and residents after police reported roughly 6,000 speeding warnings during the program's first month.

The city installed five cameras near three schools as part of an effort to reduce speeding and improve student safety.

During the initial 30-day warning period, police issued approximately 1,500 warnings each week. That period ended Oct. 21, and authorities began issuing $100 civil fines the following day.

Drivers caught traveling 11 mph or more over the posted speed limit during designated enforcement hours can now receive a citation.

For Hallandale Beach driver Roei Gal, the cameras raise concerns about how much the fines could cost families.

"I'm against speeding, but there's a certain extent where it's enforceable and not," Gal told CBS News Miami.

Gal said he worries that repeated tickets could add hundreds of dollars to a family's monthly expenses.

"These cameras what they're doing is they're causing me and a bunch of other people to add at least another $400 to $500 a month in their monthly budget just for these extra tickets," he said.

Gal believes the city should consider other ways to address speeding.

"There has to be a different solution. I think it's a little extreme," he said.

Some residents say speeding has been a longstanding problem

Other residents welcome the cameras, saying speeding near schools has been a longstanding problem.

Flora Garrett said she frequently sees drivers traveling too fast, particularly after school dismissal and at night.

"We have a lot of speeding here sometimes, especially after the school is over," Garrett said.

While speaking with CBS News Miami on Monday afternoon, Garrett pointed toward a passing driver she believed was speeding.

"There we go! There we go!" she exclaimed.

"And all they're doing is trying to beat the crosswalk lady," Garrett added.

Garrett believes the cameras provide another layer of protection for students, alongside crossing guards.

"We always have the crosswalk lady. She's here, so that is protective and then the camera helps a whole lot," she said.

The five cameras are installed near three Hallandale Beach schools:

• Gulfstream Academy of Hallandale Beach K-8
• Lanier-James Education Center
• Hallandale Magnet High School

The cameras are part of the city's School Zone Safety Program, which aims to reduce speeding and prevent crashes in areas where students travel to and from school.

The Hallandale Beach Police Department declined CBS News Miami's request for an on-camera interview but provided information about the program.

Police said the goal is to encourage drivers to slow down and prevent crashes rather than simply issue citations.

Over the next six months, the department plans to monitor speeding violations, crash data and community feedback to determine whether the cameras are improving safety.

The first six-month review is expected around April 2027.

Police have not yet released the number of actual fines issued since enforcement began Oct. 22, saying it is too early to accurately measure the program's results.

For Garrett, the hope is that the cameras will encourage drivers to be more careful around schools.

"It should make a difference," she said.

The cameras are not limited to school arrival and dismissal times. According to the city, they also operate during regular instructional hours, enforcing the roadway's posted speed limit when the reduced school-zone limit is not in effect. The cameras do not operate overnight, on weekends or during designated school holidays.