Protecting Students With Every Stop: City’s Bold Plan to Stop Illegal School Bus Passing With Enforcement Camera Systems

Cameras are rolling on school buses in a major midwestern city, and the warning could not be clearer: if you put children in harm’s way by illegally passing a stopped school bus, you will be seen, cited, and held accountable.

And for thousands of families in Detroit, this bold move signals hope that tragic news stories and close calls might finally become a thing of the past.

Detroit Public Schools Community District, serving more than 100 schools and nearly 50,000 students, began the school year with 100% of its bus fleet now equipped with exterior and interior cameras, stop-arm enforcement systems, and cloud-connected review software. Why? Data shows illegal passings happen “almost every day on almost every route,” according to the district, and children are at constant risk as they board and exit buses.

Michigan law demands that drivers in both directions stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus that has its red lights flashing and stop arm extended. In California, drivers must stop for a school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop arm from either direction, unless they’re on the opposite side of a divided highway with a barrier. Failing to stop can result in fines, a point on your license, and higher insurance rates. For more on this, read the section below.

Still, violations are rampant, and more than 240,000 illegal passings are documented across North America in a single day each year.

Here’s how the camera system in Detroit works:

• High-Tech Recordings: Each bus features multiple high-definition cameras, some with 360-degree views. When a vehicle illegally passes a stopped bus, footage instantly captures the violation, including the car, license plate, and driver if possible.
• Automated Citations: The images and video are then reviewed by local law enforcement. If a violation is confirmed, a $295 fine is automatically mailed to the registered vehicle owner. Drivers have the chance to contest the violation in court.
• Zero Cost to the District: Through a partnership with public safety tech company BusPatrol, DPSCD pays nothing for the installation or maintenance; instead, a portion of citation revenue funds ongoing safety improvements, including more cameras and education programs.

Since installation began, bus drivers report an immediate reduction in dangerous passings. Awareness efforts and news coverage have reinforced for drivers that there are real, enforceable consequences for ignoring the law, potentially deterring behavior that might otherwise end in tragedy. For perspective, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that school bus-related crashes kill more than 100 people each year nationwide, most of them students or pedestrians.

Detroit’s system joins a national trend. With similar camera programs in states like Maryland, Texas, and Pennsylvania, the evidence is clear: automated enforcement reduces violations and saves lives. Advocates insist Detroit’s new system is a turning point in prioritizing children’s safety as they travel to and from school.

Kern County, where Chain | Cohn | Clark serves families every day, faces challenges. All communities, urban and rural, must put children’s safety first by adopting strong policies, meaningful enforcement, and ongoing education both for young riders and drivers, said Matt Clark, managing partner and attorney at the Law Office of Chain | Cohn | Clark.

“Every child deserves a safe journey, and every driver has a duty to protect the next generation,” Clark said. “Detroit’s move to bus stop-arm cameras is more than just a high-tech fix, it’s a community’s collective promise to its children: you matter, and your safety is worth protecting at all costs.”

CALIFORNIA RULES

In California, drivers must stop when a school bus has its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, no matter if they are approaching the bus from behind or from the opposite direction. Drivers have to remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing and the stop arm is pulled back in. The only exception is if you are driving on the other side of a divided highway or multi-lane road with a physical barrier or median separating you from the bus; in that case, you don’t have to stop.

School buses use an amber light system to warn traffic before they stop. About 200 feet before a bus stop, the bus driver may turn on flashing amber lights to signal that children are about to get on or off. Once the bus actually stops, the red lights and stop arm are activated, and all drivers must stop.

School bus drivers also have responsibilities: they must use their warning lights properly, never use them in places where it’s unsafe or unnecessary, and they must personally escort younger children (kindergarten through 8th grade) across the street when needed, making sure all traffic has stopped before allowing them to cross.

If a driver ignores these rules and passes a stopped school bus illegally, it’s a traffic violation. Penalties include a fine ($150–$250 for a first offense, and increasing for repeat violations), one point on your driving record, and possible increases in insurance rates. Repeat violations or accumulating too many points can even lead to a license suspension, and fines may reach up to $695 or more.

California Senate Bill 580, the “Stop-Arm Camera Bill”, failed in the 2023–2024 session. It would have required drivers to stop for school buses on most divided highways, allowed cameras on buses to capture violations, treated those violations as civil penalties, and set strict rules for data use and image deletion within 90 days.

DRIVER TIPS

Given the law above and the risks involved, here are practical tips for drivers in California:

1. Stop immediately when required: If a school bus ahead (or approaching) has flashing red lights and has extended its stop arm, stop and remain stopped until the red lights and stop arm are turned off. Don’t creep forward; wait until the bus resumes motion or retracts its stop arm entirely. Be especially alert in school zones and residential streets: Children may dart into the street unexpectedly; be extra cautious near schools, bus stops, and in neighborhoods during typical school hours. Assume a kid may cross in front of a bus or between parked cars.
2. Know when you don’t have to stop: If you are on the opposite side of a divided highway / multi-lane roadway (with a median or barrier) such that traffic is separated, you may not be required to stop — depending on the specific road design. But be cautious: proposed changes aim to remove this exception under certain conditions. Always confirm via signage or local rules if unsure.
3. Avoid distractions: Focus on the road, not phones or other devices. A momentary lapse in attention is enough to miss a bus’s signals or children crossing.
4. Be cautious entering school drop-off zones: Watch for school buses stopping, children crossing, crossing guards, and children walking between cars.
5. Know that external cameras may come: With pending or possible adoption of stop-arm camera enforcement systems (as seen in other states and proposed in California), violations may be captured by cameras mounted on buses. Do not rely on “nobody sees me”; there may be automated enforcement soon, or even now in pilot districts.
6. If you see someone illegally passing a bus, report it: Note the license plate, time, location, and bus route (if known). Report to local law enforcement; sometimes bus drivers or districts forward evidence to police. Documenting it helps protect children and may assist in enforcement even in your area.
7. Keep your record clean: A violation means points, insurance consequences, and possible license issues if you accumulate more infractions.
8. Anticipate children crossing: Even when you’re stopped behind a bus, children may cross unexpectedly. After the bus signals cease, check for crossing pedestrians before proceeding.
9. Educate others: Remind friends, family, or coworkers of these laws. Many people are simply unaware of how strictly school bus laws are enforced, or may not realize the rules for divided roads.

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If you or someone you know is injured in an accident at the fault of someone else, or injured on the job no matter whose fault it is, contact the attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark by calling (661) 323-4000, or fill out a free consultation form, text, or chat with us at chainlaw.com.