It has been more than a year since the Southeast Delco School District modernized its bus fleet to include BusPatrol stop-arm cameras on every bus.
The cameras, which use artificial intelligence to detect vehicles that violate traffic laws, are designed to increase student safety as they travel to and from school. They are designed to detect vehicles that illegally pass school buses while students are boarding or disembarking.
During National School Bus Safety Week (October 21-25, 2024), the district is updating its community about the impact of these safety measures. Since its implementation in 2023, the technology has detected more than 2,000 violations. Between September 1 and October 7, 2024, 506 violations were detected by the stop-arm cameras.
Every incident is reviewed by Sharon Hill or Folcroft Boro law enforcement officials before a violation notice is issued to the offender. Only police officers have the authority to make an enforcement decision and issue citations.
“The safety and wellbeing of our students remains our top priority,” said Dr. Yamil Sanchez Rivera, Superintendent. “While the number of violations is certainly concerning, we have observed a significant reduction in repeat offenders. It is our hope that continued implementation of citations will lead to safer roads for all Southeast Delco children.”
A study of recent violations revealed Chester Pike in Sharon Hill as a hotspot, with more violations than other areas. Thursday was identified as the most dangerous day of the week for students, and afternoon routes between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. saw a higher number of violations compared to the morning routes.
Data indicates that after receiving a ticket, motorists changed their behavior, with less than 3 percent receiving a second violation.
Each year, thousands of children are needlessly put at risk due to reckless and illegal driver behavior around school buses, which can have fatal and tragic consequences. According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, school buses are passed over 43 million times per year in the United States.
Pennsylvania state law requires that motorists stop at least 10 feet away from a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm deployed. The penalty for a first-time violation is $300.
More information about the BusPatrol system is available at www.buspatrol.com.