A Duval County school bus with the new camera installed behind its extendable flashing stop sign. The camera will record cars that pass a stopped school bus. | Megan Mallicoat, Jacksonville Today
Published on March 31, 2026 at 2:51 pm
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School bus cameras have been installed to capture drivers speeding past stopped Duval County buses.
The new camera system, announced Tuesday, is designed to increase student safety at school bus stops, after a rash of drivers running past halted buses full of kids.
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The Bus Stop-Arm Camera Violation Program, which starts Wednesday, added cameras near the retractable stop signs that extend from the driver’s side and legally require traffic to stop to protect children boarding or exiting.
The new cameras detect vehicles illegally passing a stopped school bus’s sign and flashing lights. Duval County School Police will review all recorded footage to determine whether a notice of violation should be issued.
The program will start with a public awareness campaign, where drivers who illegally pass a stopped school bus will receive a warning. Starting May 1, full enforcement will begin, with violations resulting in a $225 fine, school district officials say.
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School bus violations
Florida law requires all vehicles to stop when approaching a school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended. Despite this, dangerous driving behavior around school buses has been documented as a serious issue, school officials said.
Last year, the state recorded more than 8,000 illegal passings of stopped school buses in a single day, according to a survey by the Florida Department of Education. In Duval County, 17 incidents occurred in December with students arriving and departing from school, School Superintendent Christopher Bernier told News4Jax.
In January, the school district and the law firm of Farah & Farah launched public service announcements on TV in January to increase knowledge about bus stop safety.
For additional details about the new school bus camera program, go to www.duvalschools.org/buscameras.
