TRENTON, N.J. — In New Jersey, a new bill will make it easier for police and prosecutors to charge drivers who pass school buses illegally. Under the current law, either the bus driver or a witness must file charges against the offending driver. School bus drivers are reluctant because of the time they would need to spend in court as the plaintiff. Most people don’t have the time or resources to file a ticket on their own behalf. If a police officer doesn’t see the offense, it’s difficult for them to file the charges themselves.
Under a new law, police could issue a summons based on the school bus camera footage alone.
A new bill advancing through the New Jersey Legislature will allow municipalities to use video footage from school bus cameras to assist in enforcing traffic laws that prohibit passing a stopped school bus while passengers are boarding or disembarking.
The bill, amending section 1 of P.L.1942, c.192 (C.39:4-128.1), grants law enforcement officials the authority to review recorded footage from school bus cameras. If a violation is captured, officials must issue a summons within 90 days of the incident. Should no summons be issued within that timeframe, all video footage and related information must be purged.
Drivers who are found to have illegally passed a school bus based on video footage will face a fine of $100 for a first offense and $250 for subsequent offenses. This provision is in line with existing penalties for violating school bus safety laws.
The bill reinforces that any driver overtaking a school bus must stop at least 25 feet away from the bus if it is displaying a flashing red light. On divided highways, drivers approaching the bus on a separate roadway must reduce their speed to 10 miles per hour when passing the stopped bus.
The measure aims to enhance student safety by providing a technological means to enforce existing laws and hold violators accountable. It is set to take effect on the first day of the fourth month following its enactment.
