Sudbury school bus cameras to catch drivers who don't stop

Morning North4:13School bus cameras will record traffic at stops

It seems everywhere you go there's a camera watching you. You can add one more to the list. In Sudbury a new project will see school buses outfitted with cameras that can be used to catch drivers who don't stop for the flashing red lights.

Some Sudbury school buses will soon be equipped with cameras on the stop sign arm with the goal of catching drivers who fail to stop.

Drivers must come to a stop when a school bus flashes its lights and extends the stop arm on the side of the vehicle.  

But not every driver does, which has led to tragedies like that of Adam Ranger, the five-year-old boy killed when a truck failed to stop for his school bus more than a decade ago. 

• Remember Adam Ranger campaign seeks to improve safety around school buses

Renee Boucher, who heads up a group that coordinated the buses for four Sudbury school board districts, said the cameras will be placed on eight buses as a pilot project.

“We have big highways  where there are five lanes of traffic, but people have to realize that some school buses are stopping and they need to stop. Even five lanes over you have to stop for that stopped school bus.”

The cost of the initiative is about $3,000.

There are a few issues with the project, however.

“There were always some issues with the lens being dirty, however the technology is getting better,” Boucher said.

The same project is also unfolding in North Bay.

Mary Lugli, with the North Bay police, said that the cameras are beneficial in that they can pick up licence plate numbers, car makes and colours, and even the driver's face.

Lugli says the penalty for failing to stop is $400 to $2,000 and six demerit points.

“Certainly the fine hurts but there's nothing like the pain that would follow you if you hit a child,” she said.

The buses with the cameras will be used in areas where there have been complaints.