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Bridgeport school busses have cameras installed to improve safety

Shinichi Sugiyama
/
Flickr

The City of Bridgeport will install cameras on the outside of every school bus to detect unsafe drivers and record their license plates.

Connecticut’s stop-arm law prohibits any vehicle from passing a school bus when its red lights are flashing.

Once the cameras are installed, when vehicles pass a Bridgeport school bus stopped for a pick-up or drop-off, the license plate will be recorded and sent to the police.

First-time violators are charged $450 and the fine increases with each violation.

“This is a critical step towards protecting young people in our community from dangerous driving habits,” Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim said in a statement. “Through the implementation of this program, violators can now be held accountable and we expect a substantial decrease in violations over time.”

BusPatrol will install, maintain, and fund the safety upgrade in exchange for a percentage of the funds from ticketing violators.

Molly is a reporter covering Connecticut. She also produces Long Story Short, a podcast exploring public policy issues across Connecticut.