Should We Penalize States That Don't Use Automated Programs For School Bus Ticketing

As more and more cities across the country have opted to end photo enforcement programs, the companies that operate red light cameras and speed cameras have desperately sought new business models. One of the most successful of these from a legislative standpoint has been equipping school buses with cameras to entrap drivers. Several states have signed onto the program, and now a member of Congress wants to federalize the school bus ticketing process.

US Representative Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) last month introduced "Kadyn's Act" which would coerce all fifty states to adopt the same school bus fine program recently signed into law in Iowa. A first offense citation would run $250 and multiple tickets could add up to a maximum of $1875 each, with up to a year in jail.

States unwilling to sign on to this steep penalty schedule would lose ten percent of their annual federal highway funding. For California, that would mean a $400 million hit to the budget; Texas would lose $340 million; Florida would be out $200 million and Ohio $140 million. The legislation does not specify whether the penalty is to be issued by a camera, a police officer, or based solely on the accusation of a bus driver.

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atc98092 - 4/4/2012 12:58:27 PM

0 Boost

How is it "entraping" a driver if they blow by the flashing red stop sign on a school bus? I'd like to see these morons nailed to the maximum limit. Use cameras, have cops ride the bus to watch, I don't care. Get them!

LexSucks - 4/4/2012 1:34:34 PM

+2 Boost

Penalize them for what? I'm sure the company that makes the device that does the ticketing is all on board for penalizing them.

Agent009 - 4/4/2012 3:03:27 PM

+2 Boost

We have it down here. The other day I read an article where a school bus had broken down on the road the automatic system ticketed every car that drove by while it was disabled on the road for 3 hours, including the tow truck and a local police officer.

Compound that with states that will not allow you contest photo tickets due to costs and you have a problem.

Sometimes the clear cut way isn't the best route to a fix.

atc98092 - 4/4/2012 7:41:57 PM

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@009 - Well then they have a configuration problem. It should only be activated if the stop sign is extended. If they left the sign out, then that was operator error.

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 4/5/2012 8:01:53 AM

+1 Boost

atc98092:

The key words here are "BROKEN DOWN".

And no state should have a "no contest policy" on any ticketing procedure, Automated or Manual.

The only thing guaranteed is that automated systems are gradually tweaked to increase yield so soon the system would start issuing tickets before the Flashing Stop Sign is fully deployed.

atc98092 - 4/5/2012 8:13:35 PM

+1 Boost

I95:

I agree with you. A disabled vehicle shouldn't be issuing any sort of ticket. I also agree about the no contest policy.

As far as when a violation occurs, at least in this state (WA) if that sign has started out you are in violation if you are passing. That's why the lights flash yellow first, to let you know the sign's coming out. When it comes to a child's safety I prefer to err on the cautious side. If the bus is stopped and the yellow lights are on, that means the sign is coming out soon. Just wait the 30 seconds or so to continue.