Hillsborough School Zone Camera Tickets Flood Traffic Court

County postpones red light hearings to handle backlog of over 1,000 appeals for $100 school zone speeding fines.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 9:35pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a school zone speed camera lens against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually illustrating the high volume of automated citations and the investigative nature of the story.A harsh, gritty close-up of a school zone speed camera lens captures the stark reality of the flood of citations overwhelming Hillsborough County's traffic court system.Today in Tampa

Hillsborough County, Florida has seen a massive increase in school zone speed camera tickets this school year, with over 100,000 issued so far. This has led to a backlog of over 1,000 appeals, forcing the county to postpone other traffic hearings in order to handle the influx of drivers contesting the $100 fines.

Why it matters

The rise in school zone camera tickets highlights growing tensions between law enforcement, local governments, and drivers over the use of automated enforcement technology. While intended to improve safety, the high volume of tickets has angered many residents who feel the cameras are more about revenue generation than public welfare.

The details

Hillsborough County deputies have been issuing school zone speed camera tickets throughout the school day this year, leading to a more than 1,000% increase from last year. Drivers have two options after receiving a ticket - pay the $100 fine or appeal. With over 1,000 appeals now scheduled or pending, the county has had to postpone other traffic hearings to handle the backlog. Drivers argue the school zone lights are not always flashing when they receive tickets, and some claim the tickets come from the wrong county.

  • So far this school year, Hillsborough County deputies have issued more than 100,000 school zone speed camera tickets.
  • As of early March, emails show that more than 1,000 hearings for school speed zone tickets have been either scheduled or need to be.

The players

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

The law enforcement agency responsible for issuing the school zone speed camera tickets in Hillsborough County.

Ashanti Days

A Hillsborough County resident who received a school zone speeding ticket and is appealing it, arguing the school zone lights were not flashing.

Joshua Murphy

A Pasco County resident who received a school zone speeding ticket from Hillsborough County and is appealing it, claiming the ticket came from the wrong county.

Brian Lorentzen

The special magistrate who will hear the additional 30 school zone speeding ticket appeals per hearing to help clear the backlog.

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What they’re saying

“Sometimes (the school zone lights) don't be flashing, but they say they are flashing, but they really don't be flashing.”

— Ashanti Days

“At first I thought it was fraud because it said it came from Bradenton, Florida, which is a whole different county than Hillsborough County. I don't know, I just didn't feel like it was properly done.”

— Joshua Murphy

What’s next

The special magistrate, Brian Lorentzen, will hear 30 additional school zone speeding ticket appeals per hearing in order to get through the backlog.

The takeaway

The flood of school zone speed camera tickets in Hillsborough County has created a major backlog in the traffic court system, forcing officials to postpone other hearings. This highlights the ongoing tensions between law enforcement, local governments, and drivers over the use of automated enforcement technology, with many residents feeling the cameras are more about revenue generation than public safety.