Lee County launches school bus stop arm...

LEE COUNTY, Fla. — The Lee County School District has officially launched a comprehensive school bus stop arm safety program, with plans to equip more than 650 buses with advanced camera technology to catch drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.

The program is a partnership between the school district, Lee County Sheriff's Office and Bus Patrol, a school bus safety technology provider. The initiative begins with a 30-day educational period before full enforcement starts Dec. 8.

"The safety of our children is my number one priority," said Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin. "I will no longer tolerate or risk students getting hurt as they board or exit our buses. That's a non-starter for me."

Staggering violation numbers drive action

Every day in Florida, school buses are passed illegally more than 8,500 times, totaling over 1.5 million dangerous incidents annually, according to the Superintendent, Dr. Denise Carlin.

She said in Lee County specifically, officials recorded 663 illegal passes during the state's one-day annual survey last spring. The previous year saw more than 900 violations, with over 800 recorded in each of the two years before that.

"We are lucky more students are not getting hurt," Carlin said.

The new camera system captures video evidence of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses. Violators face a $225 civil penalty that does not affect their driver's license.

How the camera system works

Bus Patrol is set to install 11 cameras on each bus—both exterior and interior—capable of capturing violations on both the left and right sides of the vehicle. The cameras are strategically positioned to eliminate blind spots.

"If there is a spot where someone could pass undetected, we haven't caught it yet, but we're willing to add more cameras if we do find one," said Donny Wolfe, Bus Patrol's vice president.

The technology is designed to capture violations on the left side of buses, where drivers commonly pass illegally, but also on the right side where children exit and enter buses. Wolfe noted that some drivers even go off-road to pass buses on the right side, creating extremely dangerous situations.

Sheriff's office role and enforcement process

The Lee County Sheriff's Office plays a crucial role in reviewing and processing violations. Sheriff Carmine Marceno explained that a dedicated team of law enforcement officers examines every citation to ensure accuracy before issuing penalties.

"A law enforcement officer is going to put eyes on the package that's sent to us to make sure and certain that if there's a violation, that it fits the criteria in order to serve that violation," Marceno said.

The program operates as a civil penalty system. If the registered vehicle owner was not driving during the violation, they can submit an affidavit identifying the actual driver, and the citation will be reissued to the correct person. This process also applies to rental vehicles.

Immediate enforcement vs. camera citations

When asked about the timeline for enforcement, Marceno clarified that deputies won't wait for camera evidence if they witness violations directly.

"If a law enforcement officer, if a deputy sheriff, witnesses a violation, we don't wait for anything," Marceno said. "We have probable cause to stop that vehicle. We will stop that vehicle, and we will conduct our business."

For violations captured only by cameras, the sheriff's office will process citations through its review system, though Marceno did not specify an exact timeline for mailing tickets.

Educational campaign and community awareness

During the 30-day warning period that began Wednesday, the school district will launch a comprehensive awareness campaign using social media, traditional media partnerships, and direct communication with parents and community members.

"We will be sharing regular reminders that law enforcement is coming," Carlin said. "The simplest message ever: If you see a bus stopped, stop."

The educational approach emphasizes the basic law: when a school bus stops with flashing lights and an extended stop arm, all traffic must stop.

"It doesn't take - nobody is that busy that they can't stop to save a life," Carlin said.

Program effectiveness and goals

Bus Patrol data shows the program's effectiveness across the country, with a 10% or less recidivism rate, meaning nine out of 10 drivers who receive a violation never receive another one.

"That's proof that the program works," Wolfe said. "While we're not a silver bullet at bringing violations down to zero, I can assure you we decrease the statistical probability of children getting hit."

The ultimate goal extends beyond enforcement to cultural change in driving behavior around school buses.

"Our goal is not citations. Our goal is to educate, make people aware and have compliance," Marceno said. "When someone gets a $225 ticket, I urge them, when they get home, turn the lights on in the restroom, look in the mirror and understand that you yourself are the reason you got that citation."

Legislative foundation

The program operates under Florida's school bus infraction detection system law passed in 2023, which creates authority for school districts to partner with law enforcement and technology providers to capture violations with camera technology and issue citations.

The legislation was prompted by a 2018 tragedy in Indiana where a family lost several children in one accident due to an illegal school bus passer. This incident led national safety associations to urge every state to pass enabling legislation.

"This is not a mandate. This is an opt-in program," Wolfe said, praising Lee County's initiative to combat dangerous driving behavior.

Officials from the meeting shared that the program covers Lee County's 5,730 bus stops across 1,260 square miles, serving students throughout the district's diverse communities.

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