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Cops Tell Miami Drivers: 'Slow Your Roll'

Officers are paying closer attention to drivers breaking laws with school back in session

By Brent Solomon

| Tuesday, Sep 7, 2010 | Updated 1:15 PM EDT

Cops Tell Miami Drivers: 'Slow Your Roll'

Getty Images

MARATHON, FL - DECEMBER 19: Monroe County Sheriff's Lieutenant Lou Caputo, dressed as the Grinch, helps Monroe County Sheriff Sergeant Sue Morgan with the laser gun as they look for speeders driving through a school zone December 19, 2006, in Marathon, Florida. Lieutenant Caputo wears the Grinch custom during the holidays to bring attention to the fact that people need to drive carefully and wear their seatbelts. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Speeding, texting while driving, even drinking are all big no-no's when it comes to South Florida roads.

Starting Wednesday, officers in Miami-Dade County are paying even closer attention to drivers breaking the laws now that school is back in session.

"We do need more police out here to help enforce it because it's on a daily basis,” says Ives Elementary school coach Erick Costa.

Everyday he sees drivers not quite following the rules of the road.

"They're going way too fast where you can tell they're going 30 mph at least and that's pretty much every morning," he said.

It's why authorities in Miami-Dade County kicked off Operation Slow Your Roll, targeting violators in school zones.

"We have a commitment right now with multiple agencies including FHP, sharing the same commitment we have protecting our children from aggressive driving behaviors in school speed zones,” said Sgt. Ivan Silva.

NBC Miami observed some who found out the hard way as officers wrote them up on the spot.

The biggest excuse officers hear is 'I didn't know' but law enforcers say that's why there are speed limit zones posted in every school zone.

"Some of them have flashing lights. A lot of schools have actual radars where as you drive through the school zones you see how fast you’re going so it's hard to say you didn't know how fast you were going,” Silva said.

Officers say they're not playing the bad guy. They're just looking out for those who aren't.

"People speeding, driving with a suspended license that shouldn't be in the road, people driving recklessly in school zones. Right now it's important since we’re out of the summer to remind the drivers again to obey traffic zones now that school is in full swing," Silva added.

"You need people to slow down so they have a chance to stop in case a kid does go in front of them," Costa said.

Miami-Dade school police will work with law agencies for more enforcement efforts like this throughout the school year.