Automated speed cameras in Roswell school zones are issuing tickets again after Fulton County Schools opened Monday, Aug. 3, bringing thousands of students back to campuses along some of the city's busiest corridors.

The cameras activate during posted school zone hours: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. on school days, according to a Roswell traffic guide. Drivers on Hardscrabble Road, Crabapple Road, Highway 92 and side streets around Roswell High School and Crabapple Crossing Elementary should expect slower traffic during those windows.

Mayor Mary Robichaux posted a video on the city's Instagram account Aug. 3 as part of the #SlowDownInRoswell campaign. "Slow down, watch for kids, and stop for school buses," Robichaux said.

Georgia's school bus stop law: $1,000 minimum fine

Under Georgia law, drivers traveling in either direction must stop for a school bus displaying flashing red lights and an extended stop arm. The only exception: highways divided by a physical median or barrier, where only vehicles on the bus's side must stop.

The penalty is tied for the highest in the nation. Illegally passing a stopped school bus is a high and aggravated misdemeanor carrying a minimum $1,000 fine and up to 12 months in jail. Stop-arm cameras on buses can also trigger a $1,000 civil penalty for the vehicle's registered owner.

Drivers must remain stopped until the bus moves again or deactivates its signals and all passengers have cleared the roadway, according to the Georgia Department of Driver Services.

The 10-foot rule for students at bus stops

Parents and students should know the 10-foot rule: stand at least six to 10 feet from the curb while waiting for the bus. If crossing in front of a bus, walk at least 10 feet ahead of it and make eye contact with the driver before stepping into the street. Never walk behind a school bus, according to Atlanta News First.

New infrastructure near Roswell schools

The city completed the $2.5 million Hardscrabble Road Multi-Use Trail in July, adding roughly 3,000 linear feet of protected path along Hardscrabble Road and 1,200 feet along King Road. The trail provides safer walking and biking access to Roswell High School. Mayor Robichaux led a ribbon-cutting on July 10.

A second project, the $3.19 million Woodstock Road Multi-Use Trail connecting Highway 92 to Crabapple Middle School, was expected to be finished before the school year began, though the city has not confirmed completion.

The city is also spending approximately $400,000 in its 2026 budget on traffic-calming devices and a new Traffic Analyst position through the broader Slow Down in Roswell program.

A AAA survey found 41 percent of Georgians admitted to speeding in an active school zone, and 30 percent admitted to using a handheld phone while driving through one. Handheld phone use behind the wheel is illegal statewide.

School zone camera enforcement runs through the school year during posted hours on all Fulton County Schools instructional days.