SCPS Pilot Program to help protect students from speeding cars at the bus stop
Bus driver concerned over drivers plowing through stop signs
FOX 35's Dave Puglisi speaks with a bus driver shaken up over drivers plowing through stop signs as kids get on the bus.
OVIEDO, Fla. - Bus drivers are fed up as cars continue to plow through their stop signs as kids get on the bus. One bus driver saying it’s an accident waiting to happen.
On Thursday, it was. Three cars crashed while one was passing a bus dropping of students at the intersection of Alafaya Trail and Sawyer Pl.
It didn’t take long for Dave Puglisi to witness the same thing. He saw two cars blow past Monroe Alexander’s bus as students got off Monday afternoon.
Incident’s like that have become the norm for Alexander who witnessed that Thursday crash.
"Everything was standing out. Everything was on lit up red and all and just shoom they kept going," said Alexander.
One of the three cars involved in the crash ended up on the sidewalk. This time, no students were hurt, but they were shaken up
"It scared them. They were like whoa, oh my gosh, so I had to calm them down," said Alexander.
In a survey from the 2018-19 school year, Seminole County bus drivers reported a total of 298 people illegally passed their buses in one day! Statewide that number was 12,749!
The most dangerous time for a student is when they’re being picked up and dropped off," said Stan McKinzie, the Assistant Director of SCPS Transportation.
SCPS is participating in a pilot program to help combat this issue. Five Seminole County schools busses have been equipped with high-tech "alert arms" to get students’ and drivers’ attention when the standard flashing lights don’t.
"If it looks like a driver is not slowing down it can also give out an audio verbal demand," said McKinzie.
The company Safe Fleet has designed cameras on the side of the bus to detect when a car is passing as the red lights flash. The radar technology will detect if a car is moving too fast to stop. A loud ding will chime, and then you’ll hear the words "stop do not cross" to warn students to step back.
"Those loved ones are precious cargo, therefore, we will do anything we can do to help our community and our students," said McKinzie.
McKinzie blames impatient drivers for the problem. He believes drivers are speeding up in order to pass busses before the lights turn red.
"When the bus puts on the amber lights, you should be slowing down because that bus is going to be making a stop," said McKinzie.
According to Florida Highway Safety, failure to stop for a bus will earn you a $200 ticket. Pass on the right side where kids get off the bus and the fine doubles. If you get ticketed twice in five years, you could lose your license.