New York Schools Can Now Install Cameras To School Buses

School districts in New York State can now attach cameras to school buses.

On Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill authorizing school districts to install stop-arm cameras on school buses in order to catch drivers who unlawfully pass a stopped school bus and ensure the safety of New York's students.

"No parent should ever have to worry that their child's bus ride to and from school is anything other than safe and easy," Cuomo said. "By signing this measure into law, we are providing school districts the tools they need to hold reckless drivers accountable and advancing New York State's bold initiatives to keep our schoolchildren safe."

It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus. However, during Operation Safe Stop in April 2018, the one-day in which law enforcement targeted offenders passing a stopped school bus, over 850 were ticketed for breaking the law, officials say.

According to the Governor's Office, that amounts to someone passing a stopped school bus over 150,000 times in a 180-day school year, endangering the safety of schoolchildren in every corner of this state.

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"Every day across New York State, 50,000 drivers decide to deliberately break the law and pass a stopped school bus, putting our children's lives and safety at risk. This is simply unacceptable. By enacting this comprehensive legislation that ensures stricter enforcement of these crimes, we're sending a strong message: if you pass a stopped school bus in New York, you're going to get caught, you're going to be fined, and you're going to be held accountable. I thank the Governor for signing this bill, which will undoubtedly save lives, and for prioritizing the safety of New York's students," Senator Tim Kennedy said.

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