As Broome County recognizes Operation Safe Stop Day, the Office of Emergency Services reports that the County’s School Bus Stop-Arm Camera program has surpassed two thousand violations. School buses throughout Broome County have recorded 2,249 drivers illegally passing them since the program launched in June of 2021. April 2022 currently has the second-highest number of violations – 331 – for any month during the program. December 2021 saw the most with 395. Below is month-by-month breakdown of violations for the current school year.
September 2021 – 203
October 2021 – 256
November 2021 – 294
December 2021 – 395
January 2022 – 209
February 2022 – 226
March 2022 - 286
Operation Safe Stop Day is a national day of advocacy that reminds motorist of the dangers of illegally passing school buses, along with the tickets and fines that go along with associated violations. Each initial violation comes with a $250 fine which is issued to drivers by mail; second and third violations in an 18-month period are $275 and $300 respectively. The fines are set by the New York State law which permitted local governments to create their own stop-arm camera programs.
Broome County’s program was created through a 2019 local law passed by the County Legislature. The program, which is managed by the Broome County Office of Emergency Services, outfits school buses in Broome County with stop-arm cameras that automatically record any vehicle that illegally passes. For more information visit: https://broomecountyny.gov/e911/Stop-Arm
