New Law Will Fine Drivers Caught on Camera Passing Stopped Buses

If you're caught on video passing a stopped school bus, you could receive a fine of up to $300.

If you haven't noticed over the last few years more and more traffic cameras have been placed all across the Hudson Valley. Some are on certain roads, others are on top of traffic lights and some school buses actually have surveillance cameras on them now to record just about everything.

A new law just passed in Albany will now allow the use of surveillance recordings to enforce the law of anyone passing school buses while their stop lights are on and flashing according to WTEN.

The law is labeled, Local Law C and it will now allow counties and local school districts to provide camera recordings as evidence to charge any driver that illegally passes a stopped school bus. Before the law was passed, the only way a driver could be charged with anything would require the offense to be witnessed by a police officer. If an officer saw the offense happen in person, a driver could receive a ticket for the offense.

It's been well documented that people still illegally fly past school buses all across New York, while they are stopped and loading or unloading students. Hopefully, this new law will stop it from happening moving forward.

If a driver is caught on tape passing a stopped school bus and camera evidence is submitted to show the offense, a driver could be subject to fines anywhere from $250 to $300 per offense. No word on when or if this law will be enforced in the Hudson Valley, but let's hope that it's something that can start ASAP!