Speed cameras now activated in Webster City

The City of Webster City began their automated speed enforcement program on Wednesday morning at 12:01 am.

The first 30 days of the program will be a warning and community awareness period. The City evaluated their traffic safety needs and approved an ordinance to allow for automated speed enforcement in their community earlier this year.
Based upon a speed study and engineering analysis, the speed monitoring systems are located on US 20 east of the Hwy 17 interchange and on Highway 17 (Superior Street) just north of Closz Drive. The systems will monitor both directions of travel at those locations. Construction of these locations was permitted by the IA Department of Transportation.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). “More than 12,000 deaths — 29 percent of all crash fatalities — occurred in speed-related crashes in 2021. High speeds make a crash more likely because drivers have less time to react and because it requires a longer distance to stop or slow down. They also make collisions more deadly because modest increases in speed cause large increases in crash energy.”

Following the warning period, owners of a vehicle caught speeding will receive a civil notice of violation in the mail. These tickets are NOT reported to the vehicle owner’s insurance company or reported against their driver’s license. Only those vehicles traveling in excess of 10 mph over the speed limit will receive a violation notice. Violation penalties begin at $105 and increase based upon the severity of the offense, every potential violation captured by the system is reviewed by a Webster City police representative before being processed and mailed.
Owners wishing to appeal their violation can do so by requesting an administrative hearing with the city.
Independent studies have found that automated speed enforcement can reduce speeding violations by as much as 88% thereby making the streets and highways monitored safer.

A warning period report will be shared with the public after its completion.

Hundreds of tickets are starting to be administered via speed camera across Iowa, according to reports.