This story was originally published by Kidsburgh.org, a media partner of PublicSource. Kidsburgh is an online resource for families that highlights stories about the people, organizations and events making Pittsburgh a better place to raise all kids. Sign up for Kidsburgh’s free e-newsletter.
Most of us are familiar with the experience: You’re driving and see a school bus stopping to let kids out. The stop sign on the bus swings out and red lights begin flashing. So you stop your car, staying still until after the kids are safely off the bus and the bus continues on its route.
According to data released this week by Pittsburgh Public Schools [PPS], not everyone respected that process during the last school year. Between August 26, 2024, and June 12, 2025, PPS reported, 10,989 motorists failed to stop for a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing in Pittsburgh.
One upside is that more than 95% of these violations were first-time offenses, a strong indication that PPS’ program of equipping buses with safety cameras is deterring repeat behavior.
Here’s how it works: PPS partnered with BusPatrol in May 2023 to modernize its fleet of more than 200 school buses with AI-powered safety cameras to record vehicles that endanger kids by illegally passing stopped school buses. The video evidence is then reviewed by PPS police, who determine if a violation has occurred and should be issued.
The new data also highlighted the bus stops where most violations occurred during the 2024-25 school year: the 5300 block of Fifth Avenue saw the highest number with 392 violations.
Pennsylvania law requires drivers to stop for stopped school buses with their red lights flashing. The penalty for breaking the law as captured by the school bus stop-arm camera is assigned to the vehicle owner, and it comes with a minimum civil penalty of $300.
“At Pittsburgh Public Schools, nothing matters more than the safety of our students,” said Superintendent Wayne Walters in a statement about the data. “As unsafe driving habits continue around our school buses, it’s more important than ever that we enforce the law and protect the children who rely on us daily.”
The data from this safety program suggests the initiative is helping to change driver behavior, but the work of protecting kids continues.
“We’re seeing fewer repeat violations, which means the message is getting through,” said Justin Meyers, president and chief innovation officer at BusPatrol. “But there’s still work to be done. This program is about curbing reckless driving habits, protecting kids, and building a culture of safety around every school bus.”
PPS is one of more than 60 school districts in Pennsylvania working with BusPatrol to tackle the issue of reckless driving around school buses, with almost 4,500 buses throughout the state equipped with the company’s safety technology.
