Every day in New York State, an estimated 50,000 cars illegally pass stopped school buses, putting children at risk. Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said local school districts will tackle dangerous driving around its school buses with the launch of a new safety initiative with cameras on buses in partnership with BusPatrol.

South Colonie Central School District is the first in the county to implement the program across its fleet of 59 buses. In three weeks, drivers who illegally pass school buses that have their stop-arms out and flashing lights on will receive a warning. It’s part of the public awareness campaign. In November, the program will go live and tickets will then be issued.

Every school district in Albany County is able to have all of their buses equipped with advanced safety technology for free through this program. Stop-arm cameras powered by artificial intelligence are able to detect the license plates of vehicles that fail to stop for school buses and put children at risk. The video evidence is reviewed before a citation is issued. 

“School buses carry our most precious cargo – our children – and even though drivers are mandated to stop when buses have their lights flashing and the stop sign extended, not everyone does,” said County Executive McCoy. “Tragically, kids have been injured and even killed across the country by people who are breaking the law. This has to stop and this program will help us do that.”

"We know how dangerous it can be for our students when drivers go around school buses when they are stopped and we are hoping that this step will encourage drivers on the road to be more considerate of their actions in regards to the children in our community,” said South Colonie Superintendent of Schools Dr. David Perry. "We applaud Albany County for taking this necessary step to ensure the safety of our students."

In addition to automated enforcement technology, school districts in Albany County will also have access to additional safety features such as GPS tracking and emergency response solutions. Through the partnership, the technology procurement, installation, maintenance, and program management are provided at no cost to the County, school districts, and taxpayers. The program will be entirely and exclusively funded by violator revenue over a five-year term. 

"Every back-to-school season, we see the same headlines about cars blowing past stopped school buses and ignoring safety laws,” said Jean Souliere, CEO and Founder of BusPatrol. “The Albany County School Bus Safety Program will significantly enhance student safety by encouraging motorists to slow down and respect the big yellow bus."

The Albany County School Bus Safety Program is BusPatrol's latest partnership in New York State. It follows the launch of programs in Dutchess County, Suffolk County, the Town of Hempstead, and the City of Niagara Falls. 

It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus in New York State. According to the New York DMV, traffic approaching from either direction must stop for a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing. The fine for a first-time violation is $250. 

To learn more about the School Bus Safety Program and New York State school bus stopping laws, please go to the following link: 

www.albanycounty.com/schoolbus