For several years, parents in Lakewood have been urging the Lakewood Board of Education and Township Officials to implements stop-arm cameras, similar to the ones in use in Jackson and other Townships, and it has finally happened.
In a collaborative effort between the Lakewood Board of Education, BOE Attorney Michael Inzelbuch, Superintendent Laura Winters, the LSTA, the Lakewood Police Department and CSO Radio, the first stop-arm camera has been installed.
The camera, which was first installed on a Presidential Bus Service school bus, activates immediately upon the activation of the red lights and stop sign, which means, if the camera caught your license plate, you must have passed a flashing red school bus light.
In 2019, Jackson Township installed such cameras, and has since seen a decrease in incidents.
Each year, 13 children die on average as the result of illegal school bus passing across the nation. Thousands more visit hospitals due to accidents around the bus. Those motorists were either too distracted to notice the flashing red lights or disregarded them.
Here on TLS, multiple jaw-dropping videos have been published over the years showing children nearly killed getting off a school bus – some missed by mere inches. A stop-arm camera will catch such perpetrators and bring the number of such incidents down.
In fact, immediately after launching this first camera, it had already proven itself.
The video, obtained by TLS, shows a bus activating its lights and stop sign, and captures a vehicle passing the stop-arm.
All incidents captured by the cameras will be submitted to the Lakewood Police Department, who will then be issuing a summons.
“There will be a zero tolerance policy for such behavior,” said a Township Official.
More cameras are being installed, and the goal is to equip all school buses throughout the Township with the cameras.
This is going to be a disaster
#1 I’ve seen buses still in motion while their stop sign is out..
#2 every traffic light you can time it when it will turn red 3 seconds or so – buses can turn turn on their yellow lights as they please sometimes a second before they go red to 10 minutes its just unfair for drivers to get zapped like this.
#3 is there an intersection rule by a bus if a car is within a couple of feet of the bus how do you expect it to stop?
# what about buses that stop on 4 lane roads almost impossible to notice they stopped or they stop in midst of oncoming traffic – its practically impossible to not go through a buses red lights!
I am not advocating to go through a buses red lights I am fully against drivers who deliberately do so. but this system seems like a complete disaster with cars going to be screeching on their breaks – expect accidents galore with such a system.
Time to get a dash camera if you want to save yourself from this craziness!!
It seemed to me like the Bus’s stop sign was activated right before the car passed the bus. I’m not sure I can blame the car driver in this instance. It’s difficult to tell from a video. But I agree that this school bus stop-arm camera initiative might be problematic.
Too bad the license plate is not legible. Maybe they should use better cameras or position them better.
This is another failed attempt to regulate.
This driver drove by AS THE STOP SIGN CAME OUT
THERE IS LESS THAN 2 SECONDS FROM WHEN THE STOP SIGN IS OUT to when he drives by. WHich means less than 3 seconds from when the bus came to a full stop!
If you are going to fault people for that, you are doing an injustice, and if people WERE to follow that logig, everyone would have to stop where they are at any point that a bus has YELLOW lights flashing.
Is this legal?
I thought red light cameras are illegal in NJ.
many bus drivers are sloppy and don’t remember to shut off their flashing lights after the stop. I slow down because i see flashing lights and next thing i know, the bus is still going… So like huh? How do you expect people to take you seriously if you’re driving along with flashing lights and continuing to drive at regular speed…It really irks me.
Ditto!
williams buttell
The bus driver should pour out a cup of nails to all the motorists who disregard an already engaged flashing red light.
*cue the whining law-breakers*
Cameras for all! If they going to have Cameras in front of bus they need to make sure there are cameras on the bus and in front of bus as well as trackers for speed and everytime a bus driver breaks the law which is often the police should send tickets. Some of these drivers are only bus drivers cause they couldnt find another job and we are desperate for drivers. And everytime we report we get a response oh we will look into it or caneras not working etc
At the same time we need to crack down on bus drivers who are misusing their lights. I often see bus drivers use their flashing lights AFTER a stop to make the turn in front of oncoming traffic when they clearly don’t have right of way. Two days ago I saw a bus turn on the flashing lights to squeeze through traffic and go across route 9!
If bus drivers misuse the lights it make it harder to achieve compliance when they are being used properly.
Exclusive:
Didn’t NJ pass a law that tickets cant be given based on video or camera in regard to red light cameras ?
I know there are no red light cameras in nj anymore , are these different
Based on how some people drive it might be necessary to place the cameras on both sides of the bus!
After reviewing the supplied video, the bus engaged the arm way too soon for the opposite approaching vehicle to stop in time. He definitely could have waited for that vehicle to pass.
I came her to say that just 15 minutes ago I watched one bus blow past another bus with the arm out and kids already exiting the bus. The bus driver was clearly not focused on the road. I reported it to the LSTA. Let’s see what happens.