Bradenton police issued over 15,000 school zone speeding tickets, records say
As the school year ends, new Bradenton Police Department data shows some drivers were still racing through school zones at highway speeds.
The city’s school zone camera program issued 15,866 speeding violations between Aug. 11 and Thursday morning to registered owners of vehicles caught exceeding posted speed limits, according to data provided by police.
The cameras recorded drivers going as fast as 73 mph in a 40 mph zone during the 2025-26 school year. In another case, a driver was clocked going 69 mph outside Sea Breeze Elementary School in a 25 mph zone.
Police said more than 3,300 traffic citations were later issued to drivers who failed to respond to the camera violations.
The cameras monitor speeds near 10 school campuses across Bradenton. Drivers caught going more than 10 mph over the speed limit receive a $100 violation notice.
“We saw a significant increase in the number of violations from the first year of the program,” said Assistant Police Chief Brian Thiers, who noted that the uptick could be the result of the full launch of the program and other factors.
Bradenton launched the camera program in late 2024 and has continued operating it after Manatee County Government ended its own school zone camera enforcement in 2025 following public criticism.
Some speeds were recorded during active school zone enforcement periods, while others occurred during regular posted speed limits, according to police.
The largest difference over the speed limit came outside Sea Breeze Elementary School, where a northbound driver on 71st Street West was recorded going 69 mph in a 25 mph zone.
The school speed zone cameras will not operate during summer break, according to police.
Bradenton police share speeding data
Here are the highest speeds recorded at each camera location during the 2025-26 school year, according to Bradenton police:
Manatee Elementary School
- Northbound 15th Street East: 60 mph in a 20 mph zone (40 over)
- Southbound 15th Street East: 55 mph in a 35 mph zone (20 over)
Bradenton Christian School
- Northbound 43rd Street West: 63 mph in a 40 mph zone (23 over)
- Southbound 43rd Street West: 59 mph in a 40 mph zone (19 over)
Sea Breeze Elementary School
- Northbound 71st Street West: 69 mph in a 25 mph zone (44 over)
- Southbound 71st Street West: 48 mph in a 30 mph zone (18 over)
Moody Elementary School and Sugg Middle School
- Northbound 59th Street West: 69 mph in a 40 mph zone (29 over)
- Southbound 59th Street West: 73 mph in a 40 mph zone (33 over)
J.P. Miller Elementary School
- Northbound 43rd Street West: 57 mph in a 35 mph zone (22 over)
- Southbound 43rd Street West: 55 mph in a 35 mph zone (20 over)
Prine Elementary School
- Eastbound Southern Parkway West: 56 mph in a 30 mph zone (26 over)
- Westbound Southern Parkway West: 51 mph in a 30 mph zone (21 over)
- Eastbound 34th Avenue Drive West: 64 mph in a 30 mph zone (34 over)
- Westbound 34th Avenue Drive West: 49 mph in a 30 mph zone (19 over)
Ballard Elementary School
- Eastbound Ninth Avenue West: 56 mph in a 30 mph zone (26 over)
- Westbound Ninth Avenue West: 62 mph in a 30 mph zone (32 over)
G.D. Rogers Elementary School
- Eastbound 13th Avenue West: 60 mph in a 25 mph zone (35 over)
- Westbound 13th Avenue West: 64 mph in a 25 mph zone (39 over)
Moody Elementary School
- Eastbound 38th Avenue West: 41 mph in a 20 mph zone (21 over)
- Westbound 38th Avenue West: 36 mph in a 20 mph zone (16 over)
Manatee High School
- Eastbound Ninth Avenue West: 56 mph in a 35 mph zone (21 over)
- Westbound Ninth Avenue West: 49 mph in a 30 mph zone (19 over)
More information, including a full list of camera locations, is available at BradentonPD.com/SchoolZoneCameras.
This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 1:30 PM.
