Speed camera pilot program approved in Fairfax County

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - New speed cameras are on the way to Fairfax County after a vote Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors. 

The pilot program approved would put ten new speed cameras on the roads in early 2023, nine in school zones and one in a construction site. 

If the pilot is successful, the county would add 50 additional cameras in 2024 and 30 more in 2025. All would be in school and construction zones. 

"There’s only one reason for me to do this and that is to change driver behavior," said Jeff McKay, chair of the Board of Supervisors. "We’ve seen way too many pedestrian fatalities, way too many accidents, particularly in and around vulnerable locations like construction sites and school zones." 

2 Oakton High School students dead, 4 others injured after two-vehicle crash in Fairfax County

Pedestrian deaths haven’t been this high in the county in over a decade.  

In June, police said an 18-year-old driver was speeding near Oakton High School when he hit three students, killing two of them. 

The county did an analysis around school zones and officials said thousands of drivers were found to be driving 10+ miles over the speed limit. 

Tickets will be $50 for those driving 10-19 miles over the limit and $100 for drivers going 20 or more.  

McKay said the program is not about revenue, but about changing driver behavior. He said the county will analyze the pilot program to see if the cameras impact speed before deciding on whether to expand the cameras. 

"I hope I collect zero dollars," McKay said. "I literally would love it if we never collected a dollar on this program. My dream would be we put these cameras in place, we put out public information about it, drivers know they’re around work zones and around schools, and they change their behaviors, and they could save a life." 

He said while there may be speed cameras in some cities in the county, these are the county’s first speed cameras.