Chicago Police

Chicago Begins Issuing Warnings For Driving 6 MPH Over Speed Limit

Ticket fines will begin at $35

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Despite running on a platform to reform the city of Chicago’s fines and fees program, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s 2021 budget package includes a controversial rule change that could cost some drivers. NBC 5’s Natalie Martinez reports.

The City of Chicago announced Friday that officials will begin issuing warnings to drivers traveling six to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit in Automated Speed Enforcement zones.

On March 1, officials said they will begin issuing speeding tickets traveling within the same threshold in ASE zones, typically near schools and parks.

According to city officials, if a vehicle owner has never previously received an ASE ticket, he or she will still initially receive a warning prior to being fined for a second violation.

For traveling six to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, drivers will receive a $35 speeding ticket, according to a release. Vehicles speeding 11 miles per hour over the limit will be fined $100.

City officials said the goal is to encourage safer driving and discourage speeding correlated with severe injuries and deaths, rather than issue more tickets.

"Data from Chicago’s speed enforcement program demonstrates that automated enforcement is an effective tool that encourages drivers to slow down and observe the speed limit," a release read.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has a tough sell ahead as she tries to convince at least 26 Chicago aldermen her budget plan — a mix of higher taxes and fees — is the best way to fill a $1.2 billion hole in the city’s budget. NBC 5 Political Reporter Mary Ann Ahern sat down for a one-on-one conversation with the mayor.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in October that she was trying to explore as many options as possible to tackle the city's estimated $1.2 billion shortfall, but noted there would be some "painful choices."

Statistics provided by Chicago Department of Transportation showed that traffic fatalities were up 35% through the end of November 2020, with 120 fatalities. During the same time period in 2019, a total of 89 fatalities were reported.

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