Nearly 3,000 Drivers Illegally Passing School Buses Prompts Action in New Jersey
Last year, over 3,000 autos in one New Jersey school district ran red lights and hit halted buses. It made people desire safer streets and stricter laws. Middlesex County Woodbridge Township School District hired a camera-equipped driver monitoring business from September 4 to June 18. They tracked 2,840 automobiles passing school buses as kids got on and off.
Each school bus makes 2.2 unlawful passes per day, demonstrating reckless driving.
The research suggests that people don’t care about school bus safety, therefore district executives want tougher legal and technology barriers. “The results confirm what our bus drivers and parents tell us daily,” stated Superintendent Joseph Massimino. “Careless drivers regularly put our students at risk when they ignore stopped school buses.” He called the facts “strange” and urged lawmakers and community members to act fast.
New Jersey school buses with red lights and stop arms must be 25 feet from the driver. The rule is broken for the first time. They may face a $100 fine, 15 days in jail, or community service. But neighborhood, district, and state leaders argue the current fines and methods are not adequate to deter crime.
State Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak introduced Bill A1432. School buses might deploy stop-arm cameras to automatically ticket lawbreakers if this bill passes. Repeat offenders would face $500 penalties and community service hours under the plan. Democrats and Republicans support the bill, but no congressional committee has heard it.
States using cameras count fewer illegal passes each year, according to rule change advocates. The government instructs schools to employ automated tools to keep students safe and prevent crime. “The numbers show that this works.” Karabinchak stated users of this technology experience fewer breaches. He advised New Jersey to “let these tried-and-true safety tools be used in our school districts.”
Woodbridge issues influence the nation. The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services reports that tens of millions of autos illegally pass stopped school buses each year. A poll identified nearly 67,000 breaches in one school day. This is expensive for a 180-day national school year.
Illegal passes are dangerous, according to child protection advocates. Many drivers break the law, endangering kids. A school bus with red lights and an extended stop arm signals drivers to stop. The school system thinks these numbers will spur additional community safety programs and stronger student safety guidelines.
After first-year violation data was released, the district and legislators want to reform how violations are detected and penalized. New Jersey might teach other school districts how to use technology to improve school buses by installing camera systems.
Sources
NJ.com
Bus & Motorcoach News survey on illegal passing of school buses
New Jersey Monitor article on stop-arm camera legislation
