Operation Safe Stop cracks down on illegal passing of school buses

ALBANY, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — Law enforcement agencies around New York are cracking down on drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses . Thursday was Operation Safe Stop Day. Police officers rode on school buses and monitored bus routes that have a history of illegal passing complaints.

Numerous local districts have turned to technology to address the issue by installing stop-arm cameras on buses. The cameras capture license plate numbers of violators, who are ticketed and fined. Advocates said the cameras are making a difference.

“The recidivism rate in these programs is very, very low, so once you get a ticket, you tend not to get a ticket, so that’s a good thing,” NYS Association for Pupil Transportation Exec. Dir. David Christopher said. “But we would like to see no tickets issued. That’s the goal. But again, that is not only an enforcement program, it’s an education program.”

Albany County said law enforcement has issued almost 6,000 tickets since the start of the school year and collected more than $400,000 in fines.

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