Drivers in Miami Fined 11,500 Times by School Bus Cameras in Just Two Weeks

Approximately 11,500 drivers have been fined in Miami-Dade since the beginning of the public school year two weeks ago, thanks to a camera system that detects and penalizes drivers who fail to stop for school buses. These violations amount to an average of 1,600 per school day, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Thirteen days into the 2024/2025 school year in the county, the total fines issued to violators have reached around $2.5 million—$225 per ticket—reported the Miami Herald. In July 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation allowing state school districts to use cameras to catch and fine drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.

The law mandating that drivers stop for school buses with flashing red lights and extended stop signs was already in place. However, the approval of camera installations has significantly increased enforcement and penalties for those who disobey the law.

Enhanced School Bus Safety Measures

Currently, 950 school buses in the county are equipped with cameras designed to capture vehicles that pass them illegally. This initiative, the largest of its kind in the U.S., was launched in May through a partnership between Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS), the Miami-Dade Police Department, and BusPatrol, a private company managing the buses and the technology used to photograph the license plates of offending vehicles.

This tech system operates using high-resolution artificial intelligence, which activates when the school bus's stop sign arm extends. While the stop sign arm is flashing, other drivers must come to a complete stop until the signal ceases. Throughout this year, an average of 1,600 tickets has been issued per school day. The collected fine money is reinvested into the program, as indicated by the Miami Herald.

Data from the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) indicates that school buses are illegally passed around 43.5 million times each school year in the U.S.

"There have been numerous incidents nationwide where children have been struck while exiting a bus and have been injured; it's a significant safety issue," said Officer Andre Martin of the Miami-Dade Police Department. "Given the number of infractions we're seeing, it's a miracle we don't have more accidents."

A video posted by Miami-Dade Police on the social network X at the end of August shows drivers illegally passing school buses while the stop signs are flashing in the front and rear of the buses.

In April, a six-year-old boy was hit by a car while getting off a school bus in Polk County, Florida.