Houston School Bus Cameras Catching Large Number of Violators Who Speed By

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Numbers are in for the first full semester from the number of traffic citations issued from drivers speeding past school busses.

Houston County’s Board of Education voted to install cameras on several busses to make it safer for students getting on an off the busses throughout the day.

Dozens of bright, yellow busses hit the road to pick up students across Houston County.

“I haven’t looked at the final 2012 data, but the two years before that, Georgia led the nation in school bus stop fatalities, and that’s obviously not something you want to be first on,” Tom Walmer, the Director of Transportation for Houston County Schools, said.

He said they help catch people in the act.

Since August, the cameras have caught a total of 50 violators, and slapped the drivers with heavy fines.

The company American Traffic Solutions, or ATS, reviews video every time the cameras sense a possible violation.

“Once those are eliminated, then the ones that ATS feels are true violations go to the Houston County Sheriff’s Department,” Walmer said.

Lt. Bradley Stone with Houston County’s Sheriffs office says it’s important to verify the information before issuing a citation to drivers.

“We’re looking to make sure that the tag number is correct versus the information as to who that tag or vehicle belongs to,” Stone said. “The most problems I would say are on four lane highways. If it’s not a divided highway, and it’s four lanes you still have to stop in all four lanes, even if there is a middle turn lane there.”

Stone says he just wants to make sure drivers are paying attention, so students can get to and from school.

“I know it may seem like a hassle. People get in a hurry, they’re ready to go to work, but these are kids we are loading and unloading on the school busses, and we’re just making sure they’re ok,” Stone said.

Walmer says switching the bus routes to heavier trafficked area, have increased the number of violations.

He says about 20 school busses will have the cameras installed by the spring.