Fines begin for those passing stopped school busses in Providence
by ABBEY BUTTACAVOLI, NBC 10 NEWS
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — There’s a new type of red light camera on the streets of Providence. Drivers who ignore the flashing red lights on a school bus, beginning October 1, are likely to get a ticket.
Providence Public Schools buses are equipped with new safety cameras. The technology is aimed at preventing drivers from passing stopped buses.
In Rhode Island, drivers are required to stop for a school bus with its red lights flashing.
It’s only okay to keep going only if the driver is approaching from the opposite direction on a divided highway with a barrier or a median.
To keep students safer as they are getting on and off the bus, Providence Public Schools is teaming up with a tech company to install multiple cameras and license plate readers on about 1400 buses.
Providence is one of the first districts in the state to use these types of cameras.
President of Bus Patrol Justin Meyers said computers are able to use AI to capture a violation and pass on the information to police to look at.
“If it’s accurate that evidence package is then sent to local law enforcement who is the sole decider as to whether or not that ticket is issued,” Meyers said.
He also said that 90% of the time that a person receives a ticket, they never violate it again.
Meyers said offenders pay for the cost of the cameras and recorders.
“There is no cost to taxpayers whatsoever, and all the revenue from violators pays for the infrastructure and the system and the program,” he said.
Fines start at $250 and can go up to $500 for additional offenses.