CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Over a dozen school zones throughout Chesterfield County will be equipped with speed cameras by winter 2025. In a Dec. 23 press release, county officials announced this new school zone speed enforcement camera initiative, which is aimed at protecting students and creating safer roadways. It comes after a spring 2023 study that reportedly indicated that drivers going more than 10 mph higher than the posted speed limit is a "significant issue" in many of the county's school zones. The county provided an example of data collected during this study. Over a five-day period of monitoring speeds around Reams Road Elementary, the county found that 48% of drivers were speeding in the school zone during the active morning hour and 50% of drivers did so in the active afternoon hour. ‘I had hope': Chesterfield family mourns loss of beloved husband, father in tragic crash “Ensuring the safety of our children is a top priority,” said county administrator Joe Casey in the release. “These speed cameras will enforce speed limits effectively, even when officers are not present. This initiative is a crucial step in our efforts to enhance road safety, especially around our schools.” In winter 2025, automated speed cameras will be posted at a total of 13 school zones during the initial installation wave. Those schools are: Bettie Weaver Elementary Beulah Elementary Cosby High Ecoff Elementary Grange Hall Elementary Manchester Middle Marguerite Christian School Midlothian High Moseley Elementary Old Hundred Elementary Reams Road Elementary Swift Creek Elementary Woolridge Elementary Drivers will be given time to adjust to the new cameras during a 30-day warning period, which begins once a camera has been installed. Any driver caught going more than 10 mph over the posted speed limit during that period will get a warning instead of a citation. According to the county, the hope is that this grace period will educate drivers and encourage their compliance with the posted speed limit without making them face immediate penalties. A look back at the 1998 Christmas Ice Storm that devastated Central Virginia “As always, we hope education and prevention will reduce the need for enforcement,” said Col. Frank Carpenter, chief of Chesterfield County Police Department, in the release. “The new signage, including speed feedback signs, at these school zones will encourage motorists to pay attention to their driving habits, and the warning period will give ample time to adjust.” For more information on Chesterfield's plans, visit the county's website. Chesterfield is not the first Central Virginia locality to install speed cameras in its school zones. The cities of Richmond, Hopewell and Petersburg are among those who have previously launched similar initiatives.