LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) – As Lafayette Consolidated Government aims to make our school zones more safe for parents, school staff, and of course the students, they’re interested in exploring an option that would slow drivers down.

A nationwide study shows at least five teenage pedestrians are killed every week in the United States.

While those numbers are not reflective of Lafayette Parish, Lafayette Consolidated Government wants to make sure that’s never the local stat line

As parish officials try to improve safety near school zones, one idea is to add an electronic speed monitoring system.

“I think traffic enforcement from a safety perspective is extremely important, and what’s more important than our school zones where our children are”, said Lafayette City-Parish Councilman Kenneth Boudreaux.

Former educator Wilma Bowles, who also lives in a school zone, says it’s an idea she can get behind.

“Perhaps it would make my fellow citizens more cognizant of that they are in a school zone and we need to protect our children.”

With the speed monitoring system in place, parish government would also create another avenue to increase money coming into the parish.

Boudreaux says, “It is about safety but it also generates revenues and those revenues go right back into our Police Department where we have shortfalls.”

A department Boudreaux says can use that revenue to help retain officers which would also benefit public safety.

“I think it’s a good thing I think we are approaching it the right way, baby steps. School zones only, strict enforcement with the ability to collect, everything needs to be packaged and tied together properly”, Boudreaux said.

The resolution will be introduced to the council at this coming Tuesday’s council meeting.

Unlike the Redflex traffic cameras, the Lafayette Police Department would be responsible for enforcing traffic violations.