Bus-ted! Cameras will catch Ga. drivers who don’t stop for students

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – If you don’t stop after seeing the flashing stop sign of a school bus, a fine of $250 might show up in your mailbox because of a camera watching out for drivers breaking the law.

Georgia was one of the first states to require school buses to have stop-arm cameras.

“I urge every Georgian to touch on these laws because knowing them could save a child’s life,” said Mike Sanders with the Georgia Department of Education.

According to a poll, the Peach State’s bus drivers report more than 7,800 passed a bus illegally in just one day.

“We don’t want those illegal passes to lead to a tragedy,” said Alan Poole of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

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From 2000 to 2021, there were 53 people killed after crashes involving a driver illegally passing a school bus. Nearly half were children.

Statistically, school buses are the safest way for children to travel to and from school each day. The most dangerous part, according to national studies, comes at the critical time of students getting on and off the bus.

State officials are urging parents to have a conversation with their child, maybe do a run-through to make sure they understand the rules of the road and how they can navigate through school zones safely.

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