Blountstown Takes Action to Reduce School Zone Speeding

As Florida communities continue to prioritize student safety, Blountstown is setting a strong example by adopting Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) to protect children in active school zones.

In partnership with the Blountstown Police Department, Blue Line Solutions is supporting a new school zone safety program at Blountstown Elementary School following a data-driven speed study that identified a clear and urgent risk to students.

Data-Driven Safety in Florida School Zones

Before any enforcement was approved, a five-day speed study measured real driving behavior during active school zone hours. The results were concerning:

• Over 21% of vehicles were speeding through the school zone
• More than 10% of violators exceeded the speed limit by 21+ MPH
• Thousands of vehicles were traveling through the zone each week during student arrival and dismissal times

Speed remains one of the leading causes of serious injuries and fatalities involving child pedestrians. National research shows a child struck at 40 MPH has only a 10% chance of survival, while reducing speeds to 20 MPH increases survival odds to nearly 90%.

“These numbers are exactly why Florida communities are turning to automated speed enforcement in school zones,” said Mark Hutchinson, Founder and CEO of Blue Line Solutions. “ASE is not about citations. It is about slowing drivers down where children are present and using data to drive safer behavior before tragedies occur.”

How Blountstown’s ASE Program Works

Blountstown’s ASE program reflects best practices used across Florida and other Vision Zero communities:

• Enforcement only occurs during active school zone beacon hours
• Clear signage alerts drivers well in advance
• A 30-day warning period allows drivers to adjust behavior
• Civil citations are issued only for vehicles traveling 10+ MPH over the posted limit
• Local law enforcement reviews every violation before a notice is mailed

The program is designed to promote compliance, transparency, and trust while giving law enforcement another tool to protect students without pulling officers away from other critical duties.

Supporting Florida’s Vision Zero Goals

By adopting ASE, Blountstown joins a growing number of Florida municipalities using proven traffic safety technology to reduce dangerous driving behavior in school zones. Communities that implement ASE consistently see speeding reductions of 90% or more, leading to safer corridors for children, families, and educators.

“At Blue Line Solutions, we believe every child deserves a safe trip to school,” Hutchinson added. “Florida communities like Blountstown are showing leadership by using data-driven solutions to protect students and move closer to Vision Zero.”

Interested in bringing automated speed enforcement to your Florida school zones?
Schedule a FREE 5-day speed study with Blue Line Solutions and see how data can help improve safety in your community: https://www.bluelinesolutions.com/contact