Prince George Public Schools launches bus safety program to protect students

PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Prince George County Public Schools is launching a bus safety program to protect students at bus stops.

The school division announced on Tuesday, Jan. 27, that the program will begin with a 30-day warning period and public awareness campaign starting the week of Monday, Jan. 26. Starting this week, drivers will receive warning letters with no monetary penalty.

According to the district, official ticketing will start on Thursday, Feb. 26, and drivers who do not stop for a bus with its red lights flashing will face a $250 fine, per Virginia law.

“The safety of our students is our highest priority, from when they step out to wait for one of our school buses to bring them to school, all the way until they are brought home safely at the end of the day,” Division Superintendent Dr. Wayne Lyle said. “Through our partnership with BusPatrol, we are taking proactive steps to reduce illegal school bus passing and make our roads safer. With the full support of the Prince George County School Board and in partnership with the Prince George County Police Department, we remain committed to protecting our students every day as they travel to and from school and school-related activities.”

The program is a partnership with BusPatrol, and the district’s fleet of 10 buses will be equipped with cutting-edge safety technology, per a release.

This includes stop-arm cameras powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to detect when drivers do not stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop-arm deployed.

The division said it will share evidence with the Prince George County Police Department for review before drivers will receive a notice of violation.

Every year, nearly 40 million drivers illegally pass stopped school buses in the U.S., per data from the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS).

Per Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), vehicles traveling in both directions must stop for a stopped school bus when its red lights are flashing and the stop sign is extended, or whenever the bus is loading or unloading passengers.

Drivers should bring their vehicles to a complete stop and remain stopped until it's clear and the bus moves again.

If a school bus is on the opposite side of a median or barrier, drivers are not required to stop. The penalty for failing to stop is $250 with no license points, per the district.

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