44,000-plus citations issued for passing stopped school buses
An initiative to keep students around Lee County safe at bus stops launched one year ago last week.
It was on Nov. 5 of 2025 that School District of Lee County, BusPatrol, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office launched stop-arm safety cameras on district school buses with the goal of making sure every student gets on and off the bus safely. Twelve months later, the program is changing how drivers across Lee County respond when a bus stops and that red stop arm swings out.
“That walk across the road is one of the most vulnerable moments of a student’s day.” said Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin in a release. “BusPatrol was never about writing tickets. It was about changing behavior, and one year in, that is exactly what we are seeing. I am grateful to our partners at BusPatrol and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and to every driver in our community who stops, waits, and lets our kids cross safely.”
It may not have been about writing tickets but violators number in the thousands.
According to data from the School District of Lee County, more than 44,000 drivers have been cited for illegally passing a stopped school bus since the cameras went live. Fines are $225 a pop.
Statistics show the cameras recorded 31,116 violations from December through the end of the 2025-2026 school year, and 13,495 more since students returned on August 11. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office reviews every violation before a citation is issued, and drivers who are cited face the $225 fine.
“Those numbers show how often students were at risk before the cameras were in place,” School District officials said.
The most encouraging number shows that 90% of drivers who receive a citation never receive another one.
“Drivers are learning, and students are safer for it,” officials said. “A reminder for every driver: When a school bus stops with its red lights flashing and its stop arm out, Florida law requires you to stop in both directions. The only exception is the opposite side of a divided highway with a raised barrier or an unpaved median at least five feet wide. Stay stopped until the stop arm is pulled in and the bus moves, watch for students in the dark early morning hours, and put the phone down anywhere buses are picking up or dropping off.”
The School District of Lee County thanked BusPatrol, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and every family and driver who has helped make the road to school a little safer this year. Keeping students safe on the way to and from school is a responsibility all drivers share, and the community is showing up for it.
To reach CJ Haddad, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com