Suffolk County equips 6000 school buses with Stop-Arm Cameras

To keep children safe from accidents when getting in or out of a school bus, 6000 school buses from 48 schools in Suffolk County, NY will be equipped with new safety technology. High tech stop-arm cameras will  record reckless drivers who do not respect the STOP sign when the bus stops for children.

The program which is cost-free to taxpayers and school districts is a partnership with BusPatrol, a safety tech company

The technology installed in the bus allows not only for video recording but also for closed live-streaming, sensor data collection and emergency alert. BusPatrol collaborates with the local police to issue tickets to drivers that come with specific information on the violation as well as a video footage of the event. BusPatrol found that sharing the video of the violation is a way to educate drivers and make sure they will not repeat the offense. The results speak for themselves and so far 99% of the drivers who received such tickets were only caught once.

All buses equipped by BusPatrol use the same technology which consists of a multiple Stop-Arm cameras monitoring up to 8 lanes of traffic and additional exterior cameras recording the passenger loading zone, the windshield view and the rear view. The schools have the option to also add cameras covering the passengers and the driver as well as the door-well.

The installation of the Stop-Arm cameras in Suffolk County schools is following a new law autorizing stop-arm cameras on school buses signed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in August 2019. “No parent should ever have to worry that their child’s bus ride to and from school is anything other than safe and easy,” Governor Cuomo said. “By signing this measure into law, we are providing school districts the tools they need to hold reckless drivers accountable and advancing New York State’s bold initiatives to keep our schoolchildren safe.”

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