Anchor Bay Schools Put Bus Cameras in Place To Stop Illegal Passing

Anchor Bay School District will install stop-arm cameras on buses to catch drivers who speed past when students board or exit. The timing matches National School Bus Safety Week, running October 20-24, 2025.

When drivers break the rules, video proof goes to the police. Officers then track down and fine the offenders.

"With distracted driving and cell phone usage, we're seeing more violations in recent years," said Steve Tucker, transportation supervisor for Anchor Bay School District, according to The Times Herald. "The red light violations happen almost daily."

State rules demand cars stop 20 feet back from buses with flashing red lights. Break this rule? You'll pay big - fines start at $100 and can hit $500.

The numbers tell a scary story. One day in May 2025, bus drivers spotted 2,207 cars breaking the law. Last year brought worse news: 54 crashes at bus stops left 26 people hurt and took one life in 2024.

Three police departments joined forces on this project - St. Clair County Sheriff's Office, New Baltimore PD, and Chesterfield Township. They'll use the camera footage to catch lawbreakers.

"This initiative, paired with School Bus Safety Week, highlights the shared responsibility we all have in protecting students as they travel to and from school," Tucker wrote in an email. "These cameras will help protect children as they get on and off the bus and remind everyone that stopping for the school bus is the law."

Each day, 15,000 buses move 700,000 Michigan kids to school and back home. While Anchor Bay's buses have stayed safe this year, drivers still zoom past stopped buses way too often.