The Blue Earth Area School District is one of 21 school and transportation companies to receive a portion of $2.9 million in the third phase of grants from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety. The grants will reimburse school and transportation companies for purchasing and installing stop arm cameral systems and supporting software programs. Blue Earth Area will receive $53,983.
Education and awareness are part of the project to help drivers make the safe decision to obey the law and stop for buses with flashing lights and stop arms extended. The cameras will help schools and law enforcement find the violators and hold them accountable.
Law enforcement agencies work with schools and transportation companies to cite drivers failing to stop for school buses with flashing lights and stop arms extended. In the past five years, law enforcement cited 4,652 drivers for stop arm violations.
The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services conducts an annual illegal passing survey in Minnesota. For the one-day survey this year, school bus drivers observed 1,003 stop arm violations in a single day.