NPSD partnered with local police departments and BusPatrol to launch a new school bus safety enforcement program.
To combat dangerous driving behavior around school buses, the North Penn School District (NPSD) has partnered with local police departments and BusPatrol to launch a new school bus safety enforcement program.
As part of the safety initiative, the entire fleet of NPSD buses will be outfitted with photo 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 notice of violation is issued.
The program will go live on August 28, 2024, with the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
Each school year, school buses are illegally passed an estimated 43.5 million times nationwide, putting students at risk. In Pennsylvania alone, state authorities reported nearly 200 violations in a single school day during Operation Safe Stop 2023. Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses with red lights flashing and stop-arm extended. The penalty for a first-time violation is $300.
“In other communities, the use of this technology has reduced instances of motorists recklessly disregarding school bus stop signs by over 40%,” said Justin Meyers, President and Chief Innovation Officer at BusPatrol. “This significant reduction demonstrates how our program effectively changes behavior and contributes to safer roadways. We look forward to working with the North Penn School District to make roads safer for all students.”
