More Ottawa school buses being equipped with cameras to catch disobedient drivers
Posted Sep 5, 2019 03:43:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
If Ottawa drivers want to chance passing a school bus with its stop arm out, they should know that the chances of being caught are going up.
The Ottawa Police Service, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) and the City of Ottawa announced Thursday that an additional four school buses are having cameras installed on them, and will begin operating this week.
The system on each bus includes four cameras, installed on the exterior, which capture video of passing vehicles. The images captured can then be used by police to lay charges against drivers who fail to stop for school buses that are picking up or dropping off children with their stop arm extended.
These four new buses will add to the two buses with cameras that were launched in May of 2019.
“We are hopeful that additional cameras on the road will make drivers more aware of the absolute necessity to stop when their lights are flashing,” said Diane Deans, Chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board.
Similar to red light cameras, the registered owner of an offending vehicle is liable for the offence even if they were not the driver at the time. The images sent to the registered vehicle owner represent a portion of a video that was captured during the offence. The time and location of the offence are accurate and indicated on the face of the infraction notice.
The fine for passing a stopped school bus with its lights flashing and stop arm extended is $490.
“School bus cameras give us an opportunity to allocate traffic officers to problem areas across the city, identified by bus drivers and public complaints,” said Staff Sergeant Marc-Andre Sheehy, with Ottawa Police Traffic Services. “This type of technology will help us deter dangerous driving from vulnerable children and youth getting on and off school buses.”
