Montgomery County police could soon have a new tool to catch those who illegally pass stopped school buses.
The county council will vote Tuesday on whether to place cameras on school buses, in order to assist in enforcement of the no passing law.
The bill's chief sponsor, Valerie Ervin says the new rule is intended to protect kids. “The goal of this legislation is to change the behavior of drivers who currently ignore traffic laws intended to keep our students safe while traveling on school buses,” she wrote in a memo to the council this past fall.
If the bill is passed, those caught by the cameras would face a maximum fine of $250. If a bus driver can personally identify the driver, as opposed to the camera just spotting a license plate, the driver would face a misdemeanor charge and a fine of up to $1,000.
It’s already illegal in Montgomery County to pass a stopped school bus. Earlier this year, the county mounted cameras on several buses to gather data. Those recordings were released last week, illustrating how frequently buses are passed illegally.
The council is expected to vote on the bill on Tuesday afternoon.
