Watch out, drivers. On Monday, the Austin Independent School District will begin issuing camera-based citations to motorists who pass school buses that have flashing red lights and an extended stop-arm. More than 265 warnings have been issued to drivers since Jan. 7, but the soon-to-be-issued citations could come with a $300 fine. AISD partnered with American Traffic Solutions for the camera service after a board-approved October resolution. In the past months, the company installed cameras on about 60 percent of AISD’s buses to capture images of vehicles that fail to stop while a school bus stop-arm is extended. The ticketing system will be similar to the protocol for the city of Austin’s red-light cameras. AISD law enforcement officials review the violation videos and license plate images for approval prior to a citation being issued. So, just to reiterate: When a school bus is stopped with its lights flashing, drivers in all lanes must stop unless they are on the other side of a median.
AISD to begin ticketing for stop-arm bus cameras
