Fairfax County Public Schools launches school bus camera program to protect students

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses in Fairfax County will soon face fines as part of a new effort to protect students as they exit or board the bus.

New school bus camera program aims to protect students

What we know:

Reports show that children are at greater risk of being hit by a car right before they get on and off a school bus. To combat this, cameras are being installed on 50 Fairfax County public school buses. These cameras will detect vehicles that pass when the stop sign is out, take a picture of their license plate, and send them a fine.

The camera program starts on April 9, with a 30-day warning period to allow drivers plenty of time to adjust to the new regulations. Beginning May 12, violators will be subject to a $250 fine.

Drivers face fines for illegally passing stopped school buses

What they're saying:

"This is an effort that I had launched almost 10 years ago, and it was after seeing some data and hearing from some of our school bus drivers. They were telling me back in 2017 that it’s not uncommon for them to clock you know 1,400 in one day -- that they recorded people passing school buses -- that’s in one day. So we’ve been at this for the better part of 10 years," said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Jeffrey McKay.

"We’re starting with 50 buses, and we run over 1,600 every day. So, one of our challenges is going to be bringing this to scale. So, we want to work out any of the bugs with the first 50 buses, but I know our county partners, law enforcement partners, our drivers, and our families are really committed to this," said Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, Dr. Michelle Reid.

Fairfax County Public Schools will add more cameras based on an evaluation of the program’s effectiveness. The cost of installing and operating the cameras will be covered by the fines collected.