TAMPA, Fla. —  If you’re driving your kids to school, or even past a school, remember to slow down. Many school zone speed cameras across Tampa Bay will be up and running again for the school year Monday.

Last year, nearly 236,000 notices of violation were issued to speeding drivers across Tampa Bay, according to an investigation from Spectrum Bay News 9.

Right now, cameras exist in some school zones across Hillsborough County, and in the cities of Tampa, Lakeland, Bradenton and Sarasota. All the cameras are spotting thousands of speeding drivers that law enforcement admits they just don’t have the manpower to handle.

If you’re unfamiliar, these cameras, enabled with radar, take video and track the speed of every vehicle that passes under them. Many of these agencies are enforcing the speed 30 minutes before, during and 30 minutes after the entire school day.

During arrival and dismissal, the reduced speed applies. Throughout the rest of the day, the normal speed limit applies. If at any point during that time you’re speeding 10 miles an hour faster than the limit, you will likely receive a notice of violation in the mail.

You can either pay the $100 ticket, or choose to fight it in a court-like setting. The revenue from the tickets is split between the local governments, the state, the schools and the vendor, Redspeed. They take $21 of every ticket.

Revenue share for school zone speed programs:

$60 – city or county operating the program
$21 of that portion goes to Redspeed, the camera vendor
$20 – State of Florida
$12 – School district
$5 – Crossing guard programs
$3 – Law enforcement

While some have expressed concerns the program is there to generate revenue, law enforcement that have the program strongly back it, like in Bradenton.

“We don’t have enough officers to be out at every school zone, dealing with the number of violators we see,” said Josh Cramer, Bradenton Police chief. “We’re giving you 10 miles an hour over in these areas, where there are kids walking around and parents walking around the schools, and our school crossing guards who are trying to keep everyone staying slow. It’s not that tough.”

Here’s a breakdown of last year’s notices of violation:

Hillsborough County – 154,262
City of Sarasota – 56,461
Bradenton – 17,177
Lakeland – 8,000

When you’re first issued the notice of violation you have 30 days to either pay or schedule an appeal. If you don’t do that, it can become a uniform traffic citation, also known as a ticket, that does carry criminal penalties if not taken care of.

Redspeed, the company who operates the cameras, says in the 600 school zones here in Florida with their tech, 90% of those cited don’t get cited again.

In Manatee County, where Bradenton is, commissioners voted to kill their school zone speed camera program last year, saying enforcement times created “confusion” and that the program “doesn’t serve the public” or “protect children.” Those are quotes from commissioners

If you choose to fight in court, that can also come at a cost that varies across the area. In Hillsborough County, it’s a $75 administrative fee. In Lakeland, it can be as much as $250.

If you chose to appeal, expect a court-like setting. A magistrate or hearing officer will be in charge, listening to evidence from law enforcement—like the video captured and diagnostics they say prove the flashing lights — warning of reduced speed — were working. Then the driver can present their side. Most people don’t chose to bring a lawyer, but you certainly can just like court.

Starting Monday, the City of Tampa will activate cameras across 18 school zones, after canceling their program before it even got started last school year.

Tampa city officials commissioned RedSpeed, the camera vendor, to conduct a traffic study across 31 school zones in their city. They found 18 zones where they caught between 200 and 3,000 speeding drivers.

In Hillsborough County, commissioners have asked the sheriff’s office to identify more school zones in unincorporated areas of the county that could use these cameras. Spectrum News asked deputies when the process will begin and how many more cameras they will install, they told us it was still being discussed.

Temple Terrace elected officials are close to deciding whether or not to bring the cameras to their city. Council there will vote at their next meeting.