Illegal Passing Continues Dangers for Our Children

ALBANY, NY (10/22/2009)(readMedia)-- Since April 2009, a school bus in the Bethlehem Central School District has been equipped with a camera that has been observing motorists who pass stopped school buses illegally. The camera was part of a demonstration project operated through the New York Association for Pupil Transportation and supported by a grant from the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee and the National Highway Traffic Safety Committee.

The cameras were installed on school buses in three school districts: the Bethlehem Central School District, the Canandaigua City School District and the Brewster Central School District. The project was intended to help combat the problem of illegal passing of school buses. Under the project NYAPT and the GTSC wanted to demonstrate the effectiveness of such devices in identifying and apprehending motorists who pass school buses illegally.

NYAPT Executive Director, Peter Mannella, shared with NYS Motor Vehicles Commissioner, David Swarts, results that showed the following results over a span of 40 school days:

Mannella reported further that the camera recorded 68 illegal passes or 1.66 passes per day over 41 school days during the spring of 2008 in the more urban Syracuse City School District.

NYAPT notes that, despite the law, motorists pass stop school buses at least 50,000 times each day in New York State, placing our children at great risk of being injured or even killed. Mannella noted "the on-going and extensive problem of illegal passing of school buses presents a terrible risk for our children. Our children are entitled to know that they can ride their school bus each day without fear of injury or death. Motorists our neighbors and families -- need to STOP for our children's sake. We hope these projects will call attention to the extent of the problem and to the terrible consequences of failure to stop!"

"Passing a stopped school bus is not only illegal but also places our children in danger of serious injury or death," said Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee David J. Swarts. "License plate reader technology makes it possible to hold those who disregard the law accountable for their reckless behavior."

Section 1174 of the State's Vehicle and Traffic law requires all vehicles to STOP for a school bus that is stopped and has its red flashing lights engaged. Those red lights indicate that a child is about to board or step down from the school bus. All vehicles moving in either direction are required by law to STOP. Violators face stiff penalties that include fines, points on one's license as well as possible time in jail.

The camera technology is an MPH-900 Advanced License Plate Reader manufactured by ELSAG, North America. It is currently in use by numerous police agencies across New York State to aid in major law enforcement activities.

For further information on the overall issue of illegal passing of school buses, please contact Peter Mannella at the New York Association for Pupil Transportation at 518-463-4937, by cell at 518-588-3924, or by email at peter@nyapt.org.