HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County is expanding the hours of operation for school zone cameras in 29 school zones across the county.
Currently, cameras are active only during drop-off and pick-up times, which vary from school to school.
WATCH: Hillsborough County cameras will soon target speeders throughout the school day
Soon, the cameras will run throughout the entire school day to reduce confusion for drivers.
According to Hannah Oliveto, a public relations coordinator with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, drivers must obey the slower posted speed when warning lights are flashing and follow the normal posted speed when the flashing lights are off.
Exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour during the school day can result in a $100 ticket.
Sunday, Tampa Bay 28 observed new signs throughout the school zone at Riverview High School. The signs warned that the speed limit would be “photo-enforced” from 7:25 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Some who live near the high school questioned the need for all-day enforcement.
“If the kids are in school and safe, why would you need a school zone working? If there’s no kids outside and near the road, it doesn’t make any sense,” said Anthony Pagan, one of those neighbors.
A recent report indicates that the cameras installed in 29 Hillsborough County school zones were responsible for issuing 5,775 tickets, also known as “notices of violation,” from August 2024 to July 2025. Of those tickets, 3,094 were paid. Only five were contested and dismissed.
Neighbors like Pagan say they are not opposed to speed enforcement in school zones, but they hope the cameras are being implemented for the right reasons.
“This is about making money,” Pagan speculated. “Plain and simple.”
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office maintains the camera program is about protecting children in a region considered dangerous for pedestrians. Additionally, a significant portion of the revenue generated from the tickets is used to fund public safety initiatives.
According to the recent report, from August 2024 to July 2025, Hillsborough County’s school zone cameras generated $310,378 in fines. Approximately 20% of the funds went to the camera vendor. Nearly half of the funds supported public safety initiatives and the hiring of crossing guards.
Oliveto says expanding the hours of operation for school zone cameras will hopefully clear up confusion and eliminate guesswork.
In recent months, numerous drivers who received tickets in Hillsborough County expressed confusion about when cameras are operational.
Oliveto says drivers should pay close attention to posted signs and heed their warnings as the expanded enforcement takes effect in the coming weeks.
Hillsborough County’s school zone cameras are located around the following schools:
- Bay Crest Elementary School (4925 Webb Road)
- Bloomingdale High School (1700 E. Bloomingdale Avenue)
- Buchanan Middle School (1001 W. Bearss Avenue)
- Burnett Middle School (1010 N. Kingsway Road)
- Burns Middle School (615 Brooker Road)
- Citrus Park Elementary School (7700 Gunn Highway)
- Clair Mel Elementary School (1025 S. 78th Street)
- Claywell Elementary School (4500 Northdale Boulevard)
- Deer Park Elementary School (11605 Citrus Park Drive)
- Frost Elementary School (3950 S. Falkenburg Road)
- Giunta Middle School (4202 S. Falkenburg Road)
- Jennings Middle School (9325 Governors Run Drive)
- Kingswood Elementary School (3102 S. Kings Avenue)
- Lennard High School (2342 E. Shell Point Road)
- Lopez Elementary School (200 N. Kingsway Road)
- Lopez Exceptional Center (315 W. Old Hillsborough Avenue)
- Martinez Middle School (5601 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road)
- McKitrick Elementary School (5503 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road)
- Mort Elementary School (1806 E. Bearss Avenue)
- Nelson Elementary School (5413 Durant Road)
- Plato Academy (7705 Gunn Highway)
- Riverview High School (11311 Boyette Road)
- Rodgers Middle School (11910 Tucker Road)
- Ruskin Elementary School (101 E. College Avenue)
- Sgt. Smith Middle School (14303 Citrus Pointe Drive)
- Steinbrenner High School (5575 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road)
- Town ‘N Country Elementary School (6025 Hanley Road)
- Winthrop Charter School (6204 Scholars Hill Lane)
- Yates Elementary School (301 Kingsway Road)
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