Do Bradenton school zone cameras catch speeders on summer break? What police say
Are Bradenton’s school zone cameras still issuing speeding violations now that school is out?
It’s one of several questions readers asked after new police data showed the city’s camera program issued nearly 16,000 speeding violations during the 2025-26 school year.
The answer is no.
According to the Bradenton Police Department, the school speed zone cameras do not operate during summer break, on weekends or on school holidays.
Readers also questioned when the cameras operate and whether drivers can receive violations outside active school zone enforcement hours. Some asked whether drivers could receive violations when school zone lights were not flashing.
According to the city, the cameras are active from 30 minutes before school starts until 30 minutes after school ends. During that time, they enforce both the reduced school zone speed limits used during arrival and dismissal periods and the regular posted speed limits that apply during the rest of the school day.
That means drivers can receive a violation even when school zone lights are not flashing, provided school is in session and the driver exceeds the posted speed limit by more than 10 mph.
Bradenton speed cameras paused during summer
Another commenter claimed drivers could receive violations on weekends, writing, “They can get you on Saturday too.” The city says speed enforcement does not occur outside school hours, on weekends, on school holidays or during summer break.
Resident reaction was mixed. Some commenters questioned whether the program is primarily about safety or revenue generation, while others argued the cameras are needed.
“Manatee County is quickly becoming a surveillance state,” one commenter wrote.
Another said, “As much as these cameras annoy me, it seems like maybe they are needed,” after witnessing dangerous driving near a school.
Assistant Police Chief Brian Thiers has said the department’s goal is not to maximize violations.
“The ultimate goal of this program is to have zero violations issued, and we’ll continue to work toward that,” Thiers said. “We’ll continue to educate our community, and we’ll continue to run this program as long as we have speeders in school zones.”
Drivers caught going more than 10 mph over the applicable speed limit receive a $100 violation notice mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle, according to the city.
The penalty is a civil violation and does not add points to a driver’s license or affect insurance if paid within 30 days.
More information, including a full list of camera locations, is available at BradentonPD.com/SchoolZoneCameras.
