The grace period is over for Broome County’s new School Bus Stop Arm Program that uses cameras on bus stop-arms to catch drivers illegally passing stopped school buses.

Bob Joseph/WNBF News
Bob Joseph/WNBF News
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County officials say during the month-long warning period, a shocking 120 violations were caught, averaging about 40 violations a week.  Broome County Executive Jason Garnar says as disturbing as those numbers are, the figures may be even higher due to a lag in the time of the violation, reporting and processing.

Every time a motorist passes a stopped school bus with the lights and stop armed activated, the children who are getting on and off the bus are in danger of serious injury or death.  That prompted the County to move to install stop arm cameras on school buses through the county.

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Warning letters have been going out to violators until June 24 and now real tickets and fines will be issued.

The first ticket is $250 with the fine doubling for every month it’s not paid.  A second violation within 18 months brings a fine of $275. The fine goes up after that to $300 for each new offense.

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