Bartow Sees Drop in Illegal School Bus Passing Incidents

CARTERSVILLE, GA -- As classes in the Bartow County School System prepare to resume, automated photo radar technology will help law enforcement officers protect students as they enter and exit the school bus.

A specially designed camera system, appended to the bus’s stop arm, will be monitoring illegal passing incidents throughout Bartow County.

Since 2012, Bartow County Schools has utilized automated photo enforcement to detect and deter the crime. During this time, 2,218 tickets have been issued for illegally passing a school bus while the stop arm was extended and warning lights flashing, a fine that carries a $300 penalty.

Last school year, 743 tickets were issued, which is a 13-percent reduction over the previous school year.

“The safety and security of our students is of utmost importance," said Bartow County Schools Transportation Director Jody Elrod. "Drivers who ignore the stop signs and carelessly pass these massive school buses endanger the lives of children. Illegally passing a school bus is not a petty crime. We want to spread the word far and wide about this technology. It’s a powerful deterrent, and the more people know it’s in use, the less likely they will be to skirt the law.”

The school system uses Redflex Student Guardian™ to monitor illegal passing incidents. The camera system, which is installed on the front and rear driver’s side of the bus, monitors traffic while the stop arm and warning lights are displayed, leaving the bus driver free to focus on students. Evidence of potential violations, including video and photos, is submitted to local law enforcement to determine whether a citation is warranted.

Student Guardian was developed by Redflex Traffic Systems®, Inc., a leading provider of road safety technologies and photo enforcement solutions throughout North America. Bartow County reached an agreement with Redflex to operate the program without any upfront costs to the district or county -- the program is fully funded by violations.

According to a 2016 study by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, 33 states found 74,421 vehicles illegally passed more than 96,000 school buses in one day. That represents more than 13 million illegal passes nationally in a typical 180-day school year.

To learn more about the district’s safety initiative, visit its website.

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