In an effort to protect students from cars as they enter and exit school buses, Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) has announced a partnership with BusPatrol.
BusPatrol is a stop-arm enforcement technology provider committed to making roads safer for students. The company is equipping all HCPS school buses with cameras that capture the license plates of vehicles that illegally pass stopped buses, along with videos of the infractions.
The district launched a 30-day public awareness campaign and warning period on August 12 — the first day of school. The program will then officially go live on Thursday, September 12.
“Recent studies show Florida drivers illegally pass stopped school buses more than three times per bus per day. This is unacceptable for our students,” said Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent Van Ayres. “This initiative is more about curbing the behavior of drivers than it is about ticketing. We have to make our bus routes safer for our children.”
In Florida, it is illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended.
“This is not about generating fines. It’s a way of changing driver behavior over time and educating people that there are consequences for passing the school buses,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister. “In other communities, this program has led to a 30 percent reduction in violations year-over-year. That means more people are stopping for school buses, and children are safer.”
SB 766 Enforcement of School Bus Passing Infractions by Senator Danny Burgess was introduced in the 2023 legislative session and signed into law on May 31, 2023. This new law allows school districts to install infraction detection systems on school buses. The system captures videos and photographic images documenting when a vehicle violates the law by passing a bus when its stop arm is out. The cameras cannot be used for any other purposes.
Traffic approaching from either direction must stop before reaching the bus either on a two-lane road or multilane road divided by a paved median. On a highway divided by a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide, drivers behind the bus must stop while vehicles moving in the opposite direction are asked to use caution but do not have to stop. A first-time stop-arm violation carries a fine of $225. The tickets will be issued by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
To learn more about SB 766, visit www.flsenate.gov/session/bill/2023/766. For more information about HCPS, visit www.hillsboroughschools.org.
