MIDVALE, Utah — Speeding through school zones is an action that could land drivers in jail, but each day, Utah police officers are still catching drivers going too fast.
FOX 13 News rode along with Chad Pedersen, a traffic officer with the Unified Police Department as patrolled the area near 400 West Center Street in Midvale because it’s the city’s busiest school zone location.
“We just get so many people that speed through there because it is such a wide road,” Pedersen explained.
Within minutes, Pedersen spotted a car going over the 20 miles per hour speed limit at 37 mph.
While Pedersen is only one of two traffic officers for Midvale, they receive assistance from additional officers every six weeks to conduct traffic saturations. Last month, officers issued 62 citations throughout 10 school zones in Midvale during 3.5 hour period.
In addition to speeding, Pedersen witnesses many people with eyes on their phones rather than the road.
When asked what safety improvements could be made to the areas, Pedersen replied, “I think one thing that would help is if the school zones were longer. They’re only about 500 feet. If they were closer to 1,000 feet, it would allow these guys to slow down in time.”
Pedersen adds that signage could be clearer and replaced more frequently since they can fade over time.
The issue doesn’t just occupy officers’ time, Midvale Mayor Marcus Stevenson says it’s a “constant issue” for his office, too. Since he took over as mayor almost two years ago, he has invested time into identifying solutions for road issues. He started a Traffic Control Committee (TCC), where residents can request street changes.
“Especially in a city like Midvale that’s been around for a long time… how we’ve got older infrastructure. It’s pretty hard to change how streets look and feel, but we are definitely working on that,” Stevenson explains.
Meanwhile, speeding in a school zone is a Class C Misdemeanor in Utah. While all violators will receive a mandatory court date, some could face a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail.
