CROSS RIVER, N.Y. - Protecting Katonah-Lewisboro students from dangerous driving is the goal behind a new school bus stop-arm program. In a proactive effort to combat reckless driving behavior around school buses, KLSD and Westchester County have partnered with BusPatrol to launch a new school bus stop-arm photo enforcement program to reduce the number of illegal passings of motorists.
“I am shocked at the number of times I witness a car pass a bus with its red lights flashing,” said KLSD Superintendent Dr. Ray Blanch. “This program has proven highly effective in neighboring districts, and it is an important safety measure to help keep our kids safe.”
The program comes at no cost to the district. BusPatrol is installing stop-arms with cameras on every bus in the KLSD fleet, and some are already in operation. The stop-arm is a stop sign that extends out and flashes red lights, indicating that children are getting on or off the bus. When a car passes an out-stretched arm, which is illegal, a camera mounted on the bus takes a picture of the license plate, and the owner of the vehicle receives a ticket in the mail. The fee is then shared between BusPatrol and Westchester County.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “New York State law is clear—motorists must stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus when its red lights are flashing, and the stop-arm is deployed. The technology, installation, and maintenance of these safety systems come at no cost to school districts or taxpayers, making it an essential and cost-effective way to protect our students.
The district expects every bus to have a stop-arm installed by early January.
Article courtesy of Katonah-Lewisboro School District.
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