In Fairfax County, a new safety initiative is being launched in an attempt to protect students as they get on and off school buses. Starting April 9, 2025, 50 school buses will have cameras provided and placed on their stop arms (the signs that extend when the bus stops to pick up or drop off students). These cameras are designed to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses, and try to prevent this illegal and dangerous action that puts children’s lives at risk.
During the first 30 days, from April 9 to May 11, drivers who violate the law will be given warnings. However, starting May 12, violators will be given a $250 fine. The goal of this initiative is to encourage drivers to stop when they see a school bus with its stop sign arm extended and red lights flashing, ensuring the safety of students.
Fairfax County is not the first to start this kind of initiative. In Maryland, similar measures have been in place for a while. For example, Baltimore County placed cameras on all its school buses to catch drivers who illegally pass them. Violators caught by these cameras face a $250 fine.
Maryland law requires drivers who are driving in both directions to stop at least 20 feet from a school bus when its stop arm is extended and its red lights are flashing. The only exception is if there is a barrier, like a median, separating the lanes. Violating this law can cause them to get a fine of up to $570 as well as three points on the driver’s license.
The implementation of the cameras being placed on these stop arms has been proven to be effective in Maryland. In Montgomery County, in the first 40 days of the 2017-2018 school year, 500 buses with these cameras recorded 7,919 drivers illegally passing stopped school buses. This data reveals the importance of these types of programs in eliminating dangerous driving behaviors and protecting students.
By taking similar measures, Fairfax County aims to strengthen the safety of its students. The use of stop arm cameras serve as both an elimination of danger and also a tool to enforce and ensure that drivers follow traffic laws in relation to stopped school buses. As more places start implementing these things, the hope is to see a decrease in violations, making a safer environment for students as well as drivers. It is also important for high school students and newer drivers to know these rules to avoid danger or fines.
