VIDOR, Texas — It's the first week of school for Vidor Independent School District, which means police are paying extra attention to drivers in school zones.
We had cameras rolling as one Vidor Police officer pulled over speeders near Vidor Elementary School recently.
"It's our citizens' children," said Eric Meineke, a patrolman for the Vidor Police Department.
Meineke said it's his second day patrolling school zones.
"I went out there to monitor it yesterday and I just observed," said Meineke.
Meineke said what he saw drivers do was quite distressing.
"People speeding up and down the road, using their cell phones, and not paying attention," said Meineke.
12News was there when Officer Meineke pulled over several drivers in a school zone Thursday.
Meineke was there to see if drivers were following the 20 mile per hour speed limit around Vidor Elementary.
During the time, Meineke pulled over four drivers speeding in less than a half an hour.
One driver said she just didn't realize she was entering the school zone.
"I didn't see the school zone," said April Lewis.
Lewis was caught driving 10 miles over the speed limit.
The four drivers were left with a verbal warning. However, Meineke hopes these warnings will impact every driver.
"I just hope people imagine, what if it was there kid near the street," said Meineke.
According to the Vidor Police Department, 42 tickets were issued for speeding in school zones last year.
They hope the number decreases this year.