(The following information was provided by the Souderton Area School District.)
Children who ride to school on the yellow school bus can expect a safer, smarter commute thanks to a new safety initiative in Pennsylvania. Souderton Area School District (SASD) has partnered with local law enforcement and BusPatrol to tackle the illegal passing of stopped school buses.
As part of the safety initiative, the entire fleet of 119 school buses operated by the district’s transportation provider will be outfitted with automated enforcement technology to detect the license plates of vehicles that fail to stop for school buses, putting children at risk. The video evidence is shared with local law enforcement for review before a citation is issued.
The program will go live on April 11, following an education and public awareness campaign. The campaign seeks to educate motorists about school bus safety laws and teach school children how to get on and off the bus as safely as possible. This education will be ongoing once the program is live.
“We are always looking for ways to improve safety for the children in our community and the new cameras on our buses are another important step in that process. Our goal is to eliminate the illegal passing of buses while our children are riding to and from school each day.” said Dr. Frank Gallagher, Superintendent of Schools.
Last October, Pennsylvania authorities reported more than 250 stop-arm violations in one day during Operation Safe Stop.
Kate Spree, a spokesperson for BusPatrol, said that the safety initiative is proven to make roads safer/
"Every day, thousands of cars ignore school bus stop-arms and speed past school buses as children are stepping on and off,” Spree said. “Sadly, this dangerous motorist behavior is only getting worse. Our safety programs combine education and enforcement to change driver behavior and ensure that all motorists know when to stop for the big yellow bus.”
In addition to stop-arm cameras, SASD will also equip its buses with safety features at no cost to the district or taxpayers. The technology, installation, and maintenance are funded by violation revenue over a five-year term.
As stated by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop-arm extended. The penalty for a first-time violation is $300.
To learn more about the School Bus Safety Program, visit the district’s BusPatrol Web page.
