NYLON – Livingston County representatives are among those pushing for external school bus cameras to watch for illegally passing drivers.
According to our news partner News10NBC, Livingston County’s Assemblyman, Bill Nojay is one of those lawmakers.
“It would increase public safety, it will protect school kids, what could be wrong?” said Nojay. “Only the NYC delegation could block it and they’re doing it, because in the Bronx, in Queens in Brooklyn, there are apparently more people that care about not getting a ticket than they care about the lives and safety of school kids. […] The NYC delegation has never supported it. They don’t like the additional fines or penalties even though it involves the safety of school kids. It’s a battle we’ll continue to fight.”
News10NBC cited a recent report saying that New York State drivers illegally pass school buses 50,000 times a day.
According to NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law 1174, a first-time offender can receive a $250 to $400 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail. For a second offense within three years, a driver can receive a $600 to $750 fine and/or up to 180 days in jail. For a third or subsequent violation within three years of the first, a driver can receive a $750 to $1,000 fine and/or 180 days in jail.
One of the concerns is the cost of the cameras. News10NBC spoke with officials at Force Multiplier Solutions, a company that provides camera systems for school buses at no cost to taxpayers.
“Our systems help make the public aware that they’re being watched when they’re in and around school buses,” Dave Poirier told News10NBC. “It helps to change driver behavior and protect students.”
Assemblyman Nojay says they will fight again next session to get this bill passed. This is not a partisan issue. Democrat Assemblyman Harry Bronson is a co-sponsor of this bill.
The system is already being used in Texas, Louisiana, Virginia and Maryland. State Assemblyman Mark Johns says it’s a program that works. “Where they did the school camera program down in Texas, they cut these incidents by almost 75 percent.”
NYLON is the New York Local Online News section of the GeneseeSun.com, dedicated to uniting communities outside of Livingston County.