On Monday, November 9, 2020, all Commack School District buses and vans will be fully equipped with Stop-Arm Cameras that will record vehicles that illegally pass school buses while the red lights and stop signs are engaged. The Board of Education and Suffolk County entered into an agreement, at no cost to the taxpayers of the District, to install cameras on the stop arms that will take photos of vehicles that fail to stop as required by law. GPS equipment to be installed on the bus will record the locations of the photos. The county will then send summonses to the alleged violators.  The district will not receive any share of the fines collected nor will it have access to any of the information collected about alleged violators. 

 

According to NYS Law, it is illegal to pass a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing that is picking up or dropping off children. In addition, you should stop at least 20 feet away from the bus. When you stop for a school bus, you cannot drive again until the red lights stop flashing. This law applies on all roadways in New York State, as well as in the parking lots of our schools.

 

Effective November 9, if you illegally pass a school bus with its stop arm outstretched, a camera will snap a photo of your vehicle and your license plate and you will then receive a violation notice in the mail.  Fines range from $250 to $300 per offense.  

 

Please be aware that passing a school bus that is loading or unloading children on school grounds is prohibited, such as when parents are dropping off students while buses are concurrently dropping off students. Failure to obey the law will result in a fine.  Please help us keep our children safe!