County buses receive safety upgrade in time for new school year

Stop-arm cameras have been installed on nearly all school buses in Rockland County in time for the 2024 school year.

County officials made the announcement on Tuesday.

โ€œThese cameras will automatically record any vehicle that illegally passes a stopped school bus, capturing crucial evidence that will be used to enforce traffic laws and hold offenders accountable,โ€ said County Executive Ed Day. โ€œBut this program is not about enforcement; itโ€™s about saving lives; and not just any lives, lives of children.โ€

In March of 2023, Day announced the launch of the Rockland County School Bus Safety program. During the 2023-24 school year, over 17,000 citations were issued to drivers for passing a school bus.

โ€œThese results are shocking, but not surprising given the national epidemic that exists with illegal school bus passings,โ€ said Ryan Monell, vice president of government operations at BusPatrol.

Drivers caught by those cameras illegally passing stop-arms on school buses will be fined $250 for the first violation, $275 for the second, and $300 for the third.

โ€œThis is about the safety of students,โ€ said Rockland County Sheriffโ€™s Office Chief Ted Brovarski. โ€œThereโ€™s been too many accidents and too many tragedies in Rockland County. When you see those red lights flashing you have to stop.โ€ Read more about the new upgrades 

You can read more about the upgrades in this weekโ€™s County Executive Corner.

Day announcing the new upgrades in front of Clarkstown North High school.

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