Barkley Elementary School issued the following announcement on Sept. 23.
Phoenixville Area School District (PASD) is working to make roads safer for students with a new safety partnership with BusPatrol and our local law enforcement agencies. The school district will deploy safety technology including stop-arm cameras on all 72 school buses. This program is self-funded, and will come at no cost for the PASD and the Phoenixville community.
Starting October 1st, the cameras will capture the license plates of motorists that illegally pass stopped school buses. The automated enforcement technology will help local police departments to enforce school bus stopping laws. Any motorist found to be in violation of the law will be issued a $300 fine for a first offense. The program also aims to educate drivers on the importance of school bus safety laws.
It is estimated that as many as 17 million motorists break school bus stopping laws each year in the United States, putting the lives and safety of children at risk. In Allentown, Pennsylvania, a recent study captured 205 stop-arm violations in 47 school days.
Dr. Alan Fegley, PASD Superintendent of Schools stated, “We are so very pleased to be the first school district in Chester County to implement this valuable safety feature on our buses, To provide this extra layer of protection for our students at no cost to our taxpayers is a big win for the District and our community.”
In addition to stop-arm cameras, Phoenixville Area School District is deploying 360° cloud-managed internal and external safety cameras and a silent alarm system. This will ensure that the student transportation department can respond in an emergency. BusPatrol provides all technology including installation and maintenance at zero cost through its violator-funded model.
Jean Souliere, CEO, and Founder at BusPatrol, said: “You cannot put a price on safety, and every child deserves maximum protection as they travel to and from school. Our violator-funded program means that drivers that break the law and put children at risk by blowing past school buses fund the technology that protects them. BusPatrol is proud to be partnering with Phoenixville Area School District to prioritize student safety and work towards a safer future.”
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop-arm extended. The penalty for a first-time violation is $300.
You can find more information about BusPatrol at www.buspatrol.com
Press contact: Kate Spree | kate.spree@buspatrol.com | +1 438-939-9869
ABOUT BUSPATROL
BusPatrol is a safety technology company with the mission of making the journey to and from school safer for children. BusPatrol's safety programs change driver behavior and create a culture of awareness and responsibility around school buses. In addition, they provide accessibility for school districts, and municipalities to modernize their entire school bus fleets by outfitting them with the latest stop-arm, route planning and route execution technology.
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