The Brief Connecticut is expanding AI-powered school bus cameras to catch drivers illegally passing stopped buses. New Haven recorded about 12,000 incidents from cameras installed on 300+ buses. The rollout comes amid privacy concerns over automated cameras.



Several Connecticut communities are turning to AI-powered cameras on school buses to catch drivers who illegally pass buses with their warning lights flashing and stop arms extended.

Connecticut installing cameras on school buses

Big picture view:

More than a half-dozen towns, including New Haven, Bridgeport and Vernon, have partnered with BusPatrol to install the cameras on their school bus fleets.

In New Haven, cameras installed on more than 300 buses earlier this year have already recorded about 12,000 incidents. Meanwhile, Vernon caught nearly 100 drivers in just the first three days of its program.

Laws for passing school buses in Connecticut

Dig deeper:

It's been illegal to pass a stopped school bus for decades in Connecticut, but state and local officials have struggled with enforcement. Each year, thousands of people drive past stopped school buses.

According to the State Department of Transportation, the technology is designed to address a persistent safety problem. Connecticut has recorded 12 deaths and 23 serious injuries involving school buses over the past six years, DOT said. The department did not say how many of those incidents involved motorists passing buses with their red lights flashing.

State law allows video captured by cameras to be used as evidence, and municipalities can impose fines for violations caught on camera. A first-time violation caught by a camera carries a $250 fine.

Marc Petruzzi, the chief of police in Vernon - which announced its rollout last month - said the town installed the cameras to avoid future tragedies.

 Passing a stopped school bus is one of the most dangerous things that a driver can do,  he said at a press conference announcing the initiative.

Growing concerns among residents about license plate readers

The backstory:

The cameras come as Connecticut faces gro

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