Protecting the lives of citizens, especially the youngest ones, should always be a priority in all cities. Hurry, distractions, and carelessness seem to reign over our roads and our lives, but not everything can be negotiable, and reinforcing road safety is no longer an option but an urgent need, especially in residential areas inhabited by children. The numbers speak for themselves: too many drivers ignore the most basic rules, like stopping in front of a school bus with the stop sign extended. And if human eyes don’t see it, technology is ready to do it for us. That’s right, New York has decided to take a firm step by installing a new automated surveillance system. What does it consist of exactly and how will it change the way we drive in the state? We’ll tell you:
Protecting lives at any cost
With the goal of strengthening road safety and protecting students, the state of New York has begun installing secret cameras powered by artificial intelligence in very strategic areas. These cameras are designed to automatically detect drivers who do not stop when a school bus extends its stop sign, an infraction that, besides being illegal, puts the lives of children and teenagers at risk.
Pioneers in Orange
This program is part of the School Bus Safety Program, which has been promoted by Orange County in collaboration with BusPatrol. In this county, all schools are equipping their buses with next-generation cameras that record the license plate of offending vehicles. And the best part is that it’s a self-funded program, just as you read, because it does not generate any cost for schools or taxpayers, it’s funded with the same fines imposed on drivers!
Where are these cameras?
During an initial 30-day phase, the school buses of the Washingtonville School District will be in test mode. During that period, drivers who do not respect the stop signs will receive warning letters, but no fines (for now). And starting June 8, those who reoffend will face monetary sanctions: $250 for the first infraction, and up to $300 if they reoffend within 18 months.
These cameras will be installed in areas where infractions have historically been recorded to warn drivers. But there’s an important detail to know: the cameras will not be visibly marked, making this strategy a discreet but effective form of surveillance.
Other counties that have already implemented it
That’s right, Putnam has already concluded its trial period, and more than 300 drivers received a warning for not stopping, and the corresponding fines are already beginning to arrive by mail. So, this strategy is not temporary, it’s a way to improve driver behaviour and protect our little ones.
Other areas implemented this
There will also be security cameras to protect workers who are on the roadside or in construction areas, especially on highways I-87 or I-84, where the “Operation Hardhat” program aims to monitor those users who have problems with speeding, putting these workers at risk.
Opponents of the measure
As with all measures, there are those who applaud it and those who criticize it. Those who do the latter believe that it’s just a way to collect money for the state’s coffers rather than a real way to care for residential areas or our children. The reality is that, with this type of measure, the goal is to promote much more efficient and responsible driving because, unfortunately, we only learn through fines…
We are entering a new era in traffic management and road safety, from now on, where there are no eyes, there will be cameras telling the authorities that you’re not doing things right.