New videos released by Brevard County Public Schools today show hundreds of motorists illegally passing stopped school buses during this year’s back-to-school period. The footage was captured through a pilot program with BusPatrol, the leading stop-arm enforcement technology provider, providing a firsthand look into the dangerous driving behaviors that put Florida children in danger when getting on and off a school bus.
Jean Souliere, CEO, and Founder, BusPatrol, said: “Florida is facing a crisis when it comes to school bus safety. These violations are some of the most deliberate and dangerous acts we have seen in the country, and I urge all Floridians to join us in working to give our police and law enforcement the tools they need to keep our kids safe.”
To kick off National School Bus Safety Week, Brevard County Public Schools and BusPatrol shared the pilot results to raise awareness about the dangers posed by school bus illegal passing.
Throughout August and September, ten school buses equipped with AI-powered stop-arm cameras recorded a total of 784 illegal passings. This equates to 2.1 stop-arm violations per bus per day. The week of August 14th was the most dangerous for students, with more than four violations per bus per day.
Florida is one of several states that do not allow automated enforcement technology to help catch violators who pass a stopped school bus. The results of this pilot demonstrate just how widespread this illegal activity remains and how often it goes unreported. Without a fix to Florida state law, local communities and law enforcement will continue to be denied permission to use photo enforcement as evidence to cite motorists who break school bus traffic laws that put children at risk.
The trial program with Brevard County Public Schools is part of a larger state initiative with school districts, including Santa Rosa County District Schools and Duval County Public Schools.
The Florida State Department of Education estimates that more than 10,000 drivers in Florida unlawfully pass stopped school buses each day.