Motorists in Carroll County, Ga., about an hour west of Atlanta are being advised that ignoring stopped school buses during the first week of school could result in costly consequences.
Carroll County Schools is partnering with American Traffic Solutions (ATS) to install high-resolution cameras on school buses at the front and rear driver side to capture motorists who illegally pass school buses engaged in loading or unloading of students. The cameras begin recording when the red stop lights and federally mandated stop arm are activated by the school bus driver. If a motorist passes the school bus during this time, the cameras focus on the license plate. School started on Monday with the camera systems in service.
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office is working with the school district to review the videos and license plate images before citations are being issued. Owners of vehicles that are caught illegally passing school buses face a fine of $300 for the first offense and $750 for a second violation. A third offense in a five-year period brings with it a $1,000 fine.
The ATS system, which uses cameras from AngelTrax, allows violators to pay fines by mail, online or via automated phone system. Tickets can also be contested in court or via a notarized Affidavit of Liability to the Court that states the vehicle’s registered owners was not driving the vehicle at the time the violation was recorded. Violators can also view online video of the alleged passing.
“Too many drivers choose to ignore the school bus stop arm and think it is acceptable to pass when children are unloading and loading,” said Jackie Coffee, director of transportation for Carroll County Schools. “With this program, we hope to significantly reduce the number of these types of violations which will increase the overall safety of our students.”
Carroll County Sheriff Terry Langley said the program frees up police resources to focus on other areas.
“It’s another way for us to protect the lives of the children who ride a school bus to and from school every day,” Langley added.
