Photo: WBZ NewsRadio Archive
QUINCY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The City of Quincy recently launched a new school bus safety program aimed at protecting students from distracted drivers.
The program, a partnership between Quincy Police, Quincy Public Schools, and BusPatrol, will use cameras mounted on school bus stop arms, which officials hope will reduce dangerous driving around school buses. The program provides a 30-day warning period to educate drivers and raise awareness. Full enforcement with penalties is scheduled to begin July 1st.
Using artificial intelligence, the cameras will capture video evidence when a driver fails to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended. The Quincy Police Department will review incidents, and if approved, a notice of violation will be mailed to the registered vehicle owner.
Read More: Boston City Council Wants BPS To Join Nationwide Social Media Lawsuit
Similar programs in Massachusetts report recording more than three illegal passings per bus per day. Some residents say the city needs to do everything it can to ensure children's safety.
"Sounds like a really good idea because I saw someone do that this weekend," one Quincy resident said. "There were students on it. I did see someone fly by."
“Nothing matters more than the safety of our students. Every time a driver passes a stopped school bus, they are putting a child at risk,” Mayor Thomas Koch said in a statement. “This program is about taking action to protect students and make our roads safer for families across the city.”
WBZ NewsRadio’s Chris Fama (CFamaWBZ) reports.