Perkasie Borough Police are reminding motorists of the dangers — and consequences — of illegally passing stopped school buses, as part of an ongoing automated enforcement program now in use across the Pennridge School District.
The department said it is partnering in Pennsylvania’s Automated School Bus Side Stop Signal Arm Enforcement Program, which uses camera systems mounted on school buses to capture vehicles that fail to stop when red lights are flashing. The initiative is currently deployed on 106 buses in the Pennridge fleet and is designed to increase enforcement while improving safety for students getting on and off buses.
Officials pointed to alarming statistics behind the push. Nationwide, more than 45 million illegal school bus passes occur each year, according to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services. In Pennsylvania alone, more than 24,000 violations were issued in 2023, while studies have shown drivers may pass stopped buses more than twice per bus, per day.
“This is a serious safety concern for children,” police said, noting that each violation puts students at risk.
With roughly 30,000 school buses transporting 1.4 million students statewide each day, even a single illegal pass can have life-threatening consequences.
Under Pennsylvania law, violations captured by bus-mounted cameras are reviewed by law enforcement before a Notice of Violation is issued to the registered vehicle owner. A first offense carries a $300 fine and is treated as a civil violation, meaning no points are added to a driver’s license.
Police said the program has already proven effective, with data showing more than 90 percent of first-time offenders do not repeat the behavior after receiving a violation notice.
Motorists who receive a notice can contest it within 30 days, including by providing proof they were not driving, the vehicle was stolen, or other allowable defenses under state law.
Police said the goal of the program is simple: change driver behavior and prevent tragedies.
“The program allows for increased enforcement that helps create safer streets for students,” the department said.
