One of the more common solutions being adopted is the use of stop-arm cameras, which work in roughly the same fashion as traffic light cameras. The camera attempts to capture the license plate of anyone speeding by a stopped bus, and the resulting stop-arm fines are mailed to the offending driver’s address on record.
Recently, New York governor Andrew Cuomo, citing poor results from the state’s stop-arm program, announced his intention to push for even stricter stop-arm fines and other penalties. But is this really the right approach? Or does it signal that other measures are needed instead?
Currently, New York already has among the toughest stop-arm violation penalties in the country: A first offense can bring up to 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $400, and a five-point penalty to the driver’s license. That’s well beyond most districts’ fine-only ticketing policy. Various proposals for increasing the penalties have been suggested, such as one proposed house bill that would push fees up to a maximum of $1,500 along with bringing the possibility of license suspensions for repeat offenses.
But would that actually reduce violations? Or would it merely lead to the state viewing stop-arm violations as a source of revenue?
Crime statistics showing that increased deterrents are genuinely successful at preventing crime are remarkably difficult to come by. Even the National Institute of Justice, a research arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, concludes, “increasing the severity of punishment does little to deter crime . .. partly because criminals know little about the sanctions for specific crimes.”
Further, studies into the effectiveness of stop-arm cameras have been inclusive. A 2008 Texas pilot program found their cameras had difficulty accurately capturing drivers’ license plates. North Carolina has been running a similar program for years, but their results don't seem to suggest an actual reduction in violations either.
Meanwhile, a more low-key approach is being adopted by other districts, and with surprising success. By doing nothing more than adding more red lights to buses, violations were empirically reduced by 50% or more.
And it’s a cheap fix, too. The extra lights and wiring only sets districts back $200-$300 per bus.
The debate about deterrence-vs.-punishment has been ongoing for a long time, but when it comes to stop-arm fines, it doesn’t seem like the numbers are in favor of costlier punishment.
What do you think? Is it better to add stop-arm cameras, or more lights to ensure student and school bus safety? Let’s talk about it.