400 speeding tickets issued in one day to drivers on Fairfax County Parkway

Fairfax County cracks down on speeding

Last week, Fairfax County did a targeted enforcement on Fairfax County Parkway that led to 400 tickets written in one day. Police are reminding drivers to reset their driving habits, especially now that kids, school buses, and more cars will be on the roads.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - As summer winds down, police hope drivers start slowing down with more cars and school buses on the road.

If not, they'll have to pay a hefty price — thanks to new speed cameras set up near school zones in Fairfax County.

A 2020 state law allows speed cameras in Virginia but only in work and school zones. The law says the maximum fine is 100 dollars per ticket.

FOX 5 talked to a Fairfax resident who supports the county's efforts to slow people down.

Malick Keita lives near a school zone. She said she appreciates the crossing guards who help facilitate the traffic. The speed cameras, she said, "adds another layer."

"I feel good about it," she said.

Last Thursday, Fairfax County police issued 400 tickets to drivers on the Fairfax County Parkway, according to data collected by their traffic enforcement team. One car was clocked at 106 miles per hour on a road where the speed limit is 50 miles per hour.

Alexandria adds speed cameras to school zones

It's back-to-school season in the DMV, and more districts in Virginia are using speed cameras to try and make school zones safer. FOX 5's David Kaplan reports.

Annelise McQuay, a Fairfax County parent said she's not surprised at all.

"It’s actually kind of crazy how fast people go on that road. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the fast lane or the slow lane, people are always right on your tail," she said. "It doesn’t matter if you’re going five over or ten over they’re always right on your tail. It’s actually really dangerous."

Sergeant Lance Hamilton with Fairfax police says he hopes drivers will reset their habits and get back to basics — which starts with looking around and slowing down.

"Two years of COVID and the end of the summer, we’re out of practice, so I’d like to advise the citizens to please slow down," Hamilton said. "Take the extra time to plan out your trip. It starts off with backing out of the driveway; kids are walking on the sidewalks. Look both ways.

The department is also reminding drivers who may find themselves near school buses that traffic going in both directions has to stop on two or four-lane roads that don't have a physical median. If you’re on a road that does have a physical median, traffic from the opposite direction does not have to stop.