LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — Police acknowledge it takes drivers some time to adjust from summertime to school time.

For that reason, Lakeland police officers will be out in “full force” when school starts for all Polk County students next week.

“I’m scared, obviously, that people just don’t care about any life, even kids,” said Cristaly Reyes, who lives across from an elementary school in Lakeland.

She said she witnesses people speeding through the school zone, even with a speed hump, all the time.

“Actually when they take the bump, they can even fly. Obviously I’m scared because there’s nothing that will stop them from going to my house because my house is right on the corner,” said Reyes.

Lakeland police officers know people speed.

“This is the car coming at us right now,” said Sgt. Doug Mills while looking at the radar on his motorcycle. “Slowing down because it recognized us.”

Sgt. Mills, who oversees Lakeland Police Department’s motor unit, will be monitoring speeds outside schools for the first few weeks of school to remind drivers to slow down in school zones.

“For example, if you’re doing say nine [miles per hour] over, instead of it being $129 dollar ticket, it’s well over $200 now because they doubled the fine amount. It progressively gets higher as you go,” said Sgt. Mills.

Polk County’s “Safe Stop” program will again be in effect, using cameras to catch people illegally passing busses.

“As soon as those arms go out and that stop sign comes out and those lights are flashing, make sure in both directions you’re stopping. Unless there is a prominent median or a raised median, you actually have to stop both ways,” said Sgt. Mills.

The program, which is a partnership between Polk County Public Schools and Polk County Sheriff’s Office, paused in the summer to develop an appeal process to align with a new state law that went into effect July 1.

“There is an alarming, ongoing issue with drivers not stopping for school buses. Nearly 13,000 violations have been issued since our Safe Stop program took effect, and that is not acceptable,” said a PCPS spokesperson in a statement.

This school year, Lakeland will also be installing 14 school zone speed cameras at eight school zones: Lincoln Academy, Crystal Lake Elementary/Crystal Lake Middle, Philip O’Brien Elementary, Southwest Middle, North Lakeland Elementary, Lakeland High School, Lakeland Highlands Middle, and Sleepy Hill Elementary.

Those cameras will be operational later in the school year.