Watch Out: New School Bus Cameras in Polk County to Begin Issuing Tickets for Driving Violations

Photo byRobin Jonathan DeutschonUnsplash

Polk County is taking a bold step to safeguard its students with the introduction of school bus stop arm safety cameras. Starting August 12, these cameras became operational and were issuing warnings to drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses. However, actual violations will start being enforced on September 24.

According to the Safe Stop page, each day, over 45,000 students in Polk County rely on school buses to get to and from school safely. Recent studies reveal a staggering number of violations nationwide, with more than 11,000 illegal passes of Florida school buses occurring in just one day last year. Florida also leads the nation in drivers passing school buses on the right side, a dangerous practice that threatens the lives of children.

To tackle this issue, Polk County Public Schools has partnered with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Verra Mobility to launch a comprehensive school bus stop arm safety program. Under this initiative, 511 school buses will be outfitted with advanced camera technology designed to capture illegal driving behavior.

When a school bus activates its stop arm, the camera system automatically detects any vehicles that pass within the enforcement zone. The cameras record video and capture images of the violating vehicle, including its license plate and the extended stop arm.

These recorded images and videos are reviewed by law enforcement before any warnings or citations are issued. If a violation is confirmed, the vehicle owner will be liable for a statutory penalty of $225.00. There will be no points added to the owner’s driving record for this violation. However, if the penalty is not paid, or if a hearing is not requested or an affidavit is not submitted by the due date listed on the Notice of Violation, a Uniform Traffic Citation will be issued.

This initiative aims to deter reckless driving and enhance the safety of students as they travel to and from school. To learn more or to view FAQs related to the initiative, you can click here.