Houston County Schools Install Bus Cameras to Catch Violators

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Houston County School System is installing cameras on school buses in hopes to catch traffic violators.

The school system teamed up with American Traffic Solutions installing 20 cameras on the outside of buses. When a driver illegally passes the school bus stop arms, the camera will record the vehicle and take a picture of the driver’s license plate. The images will be handed over to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and the owner of the car will be cited.

“If we’re able to do something to help prevent someone from violating the school bus arm and saving someone from injury, it’s worth it,” said Lieutenant Ronnie Harlowe with the Houston County Sheriff’s Office.

Fines will range anywhere from $300 to $1,000.

“The purpose of the cameras is to change people’s behavior,” said Frank Scott, Houston County Transportation Director.

For Scott, it’s a low price to pay to catch drivers putting children in harms way. In 2011, Georgia led the nation in fatalities resulting from people running school stop signs. In Houston County, no fatalities were reported but the number of people disobeying the law was high.

“At a one day snapshot, we had 86 violators,” Scott said.

The cameras were installed at absolutely no cost to the school. According to American Traffic Solutions, the company earns money from the citation fines, not from the school system. The sheriff’s office will start issuing tickets at the end of the month.