Are You in Favor of Using School Bus Cameras to Issue Fines in Indiana?

When my daughter was in Elementary School, I didn't want her to stand at the bus stop by herself in the morning. We have a very long driveway and even though we live in a neighborhood, it's pretty secluded back in the cul-de-sac where we live because the woods our neighborhood was built into. So, every morning, I'd drive her up to the bus. One day, I received a call from her bus driver. The school system was making transportation cuts so they needed to get more kids on the bus in the same amount of time. Since we live in a fairly large neighborhood and my daughter was the only one, she asked if I could bring her to the end of the neighborhood.

I agreed and we sat at the entrance every morning which was a four-way stop. However, I quickly found out that my NEIGHBORS would disregard the school bus arm and just go right around the bus while my daughter was boarding. It got so bad that I told the transportation department that due to safety issues, she had to resume getting on at our house.

School buses are no doubt the safest way for students to get to school. But according to in.gov, From 2000-2022, there were 55 fatalities in crashes that involved a driver illegally passing a stopped school bus, an average of 2.4 fatalities a year." They went on to say that, "In the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services 2023 Stop-Arm survey, 94,581 school bus drivers reported that 62,482 vehicles passed their buses illegally on a single day during the 2022-23 school year. Throughout a 180-day school year, these sample results point to more than 43.5 million violations per year among America’s motoring public."

Now, a good deal of these violations are willful acts by negligent drivers. They know better and they simply don't care. But there is also a good deal of drivers who either don't know the laws surrounding school buses or are not paying attention - especially when approaching on a four-lane road.

Indiana Law Regarding Stopping for School Buses

So, first of all, let's address the law when it comes to stopping for school buses. Indiana's official website has a quick graphic that explains it pretty clearly.

TWO LANE: Vehicles traveling in both directions MUST stop.

MULTI-LANE PAVED ACROSS: Vehicles traveling in both directions MUST stop.

DIVIDED HIGHWAY: Vehicles behind the bus MUST stop. Vehicles traveling in the opposite direction proceed with caution.

Cameras on School Buses

As a parent whose child still rides the bus, I am 100% for ticketing people who go around a school bus. I'll sing it from the rafters if it helps save even one kiddo.

But what I saw on Facebook the other day, gave me pause. The Salisbury Township Police Department in Allentown, PA, posted a bus driver's POV video that showed an oncoming car that obviously broke the law when they didn't stop for the bus. The caption of the video was "Your fine is in the mail."

Here in Southern Indiana, we are no strangers to cameras everywhere we look. It seems like they are putting more and more cameras up every day and you can't go anywhere around Evansville without being watched.

What are LPR Cameras Used for in Evansville?

Law enforcement currently uses these cameras to apprehend criminals who flee. In an email from Flock Safety, it was suggested that the License Plate Recognition cameras helped EPD apprehend a suspect who was wanted in connection with a murder.

On February 11th, Evansville Police officers responded to reports of shots fired outside a local nightclub. Officers found a wounded victim on the scene who would later succumb to his injuries. Witnesses reported that the alleged shooter left the scene in a silver sedan with a license plate that included “BGJ.” Officers entered the vehicle’s description and partial license plate into their Flock Safety LPRs and identified the registered owner, Zachary Diaz. He was arrested later that night and is charged with murder.

As of now, these cameras are not being used to issue fines for speeding, license plate registration expiration, or traffic infractions but in many cities and states around the US, the cameras are being used in this capacity.

The All-Seeing Eye in the Sky

When I was in California last year, I told a local that I was surprised that I didn't see any local law enforcement. He told me not to worry, I was always being watched. It's how the city saves money as the camera system helps with efficiency and watches multiple areas at once. Cameras can also be used as evidence in court cases.

Personally, I'm torn about these cameras. On the one hand, I get it. Don't break the law and you won't have an issue. But, I am personally not comfortable with constantly being watched. I do my best to stay within the limits of the law at all times but I'll admit, sometimes I don't realize I'm 10 over the speed limit. When I do realize, I get it back down but with speed cameras, there's no conversation with a human or self-correction. You screw up, you pay up. And the feeling that the government is not only using decent citizens as myself as a cash cow (after I pay taxes upon taxes upon taxes) and can track my every move is unsettling to me.

Should We Have License Plate Readers in School Zones and on School Buses?

So, how do I feel about this school bus camera and LPRs in school zones, and should it be implemented here in the tri-state? The comments were most pro-camera but there were a few brave souls who spoke out against them. I think for me, personally, the good outweighs the government oversight. I'm NOT a fan of the LPRs except for this particular one. Kids come first. In fact, I googled "school bus cameras" and this article that I wrote in 2019 popped up. There are a lot of politicians making big changes in our government right now. Hopefully this will be one that we see coming soon in Indiana.

Want to see this become a law? Contact your local representatives today.