Stop‑arm Violations Prompt Cameras, Patrols Nationwide

During National School Bus Safety Week and across the 2025 school year, officials warned of widespread illegal stop‑arm passings and school‑bus‑involved crashes, with millions of violations reported nationally. Local and regional data cited include Manitoba recording 36 children struck this year and Los Angeles County reporting 325 school‑bus‑involved crashes. Police and transportation directors say impatience and distracted driving are fueling the problem, and jurisdictions from East Windsor to Widefield and Osceola have logged hundreds of violations while increasing patrols and asking the public to submit video evidence. Many districts are deploying stop‑arm cameras and AI systems such as BusPatrol, and places like Howard County and Rockland credit those programs with steep declines in violations (nearly 50% over four years and about 30%, respectively), though critics question motives and note cameras can miss very fast offenders. States have tightened stopping laws with mixed effectiveness, and officials are pairing enforcement with public education campaigns and school safety protocols — inspections, swipe‑in systems, communications and drills — to reduce illegal passings and related injuries.