School bus cameras target dangerous drivers
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 3, 2008 | 8:05 PM PT
CBC News
Aggresive and dangerous drivers often run bus stop arms like this one, according to RCMP Const. Tim Monteith. (CBC) A school district in the B.C. Interior wants to crack down on drivers who endanger students by running the stop signs used on school buses.
David Misener, transportation supervisor for the Central Okanagan School District, said drivers run the stop arms, which are deployed when students are being picked up or offloaded, about 20 times a day, so the school district is equipping its buses with surveillance cameras.
The cameras are attached to the outside of the bus, just behind the stop sign, to capture digital video of vehicles coming from both directions.
"The driver might not have enough time to grab a pen and paper and write these things down. The camera catches the whole thing, and there's no question as to what occurred," Misener said. "The camera can capture the vehicles, sometimes the licence plate, people in the vehicle.
"I can download a video or JPEG [digital still photograph] and send to RCMP and they will be in touch with the operator," he said.
RCMP Const. Tim Monteith says surveillance cameras could help charge dangerous drivers. (CBC) Testimony from a bus driver is usually enough to charge reckless drivers or the registered owner of a vehicle, said Const. Tim Monteith with the Kelowna RCMP, but video evidence is even better.
"It's a pretty key component, if you see a picture of your car driving by when stop sign is out and lights are activated. As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words," he said.
About one third of the buses in the school district are already equipped with cameras. Eventually, the school district hopes to have a camera on every bus in the area.
Al Hildebrand, a local school bus driver, said he would not hesitate to report dangerous driving to police, and use the video as evidence.
"If it put the children in danger, I would report that to police. If it was putting other people in danger, I would do that. Sometime it's the same person going through your lights day after day. I would report that," he said.
Hildebrand said the cameras are a welcome help.
"Now I don't have to worry to about the vehicle because I know it's being recorded. I can focus more on the kids and keeping them safe," he said.
