AI Aids Hillsborough County in Combating School Bus Stop Violations
Hillsborough County Schools are employing artificial intelligence to address a serious safety issue: drivers who fail to stop for school buses. FOX 13’s Jordan Bowen reports on the new program that aims to protect students from dangerous traffic violations.
Several videos taken on Hillsborough County Schools buses showcase drivers disregarding school bus stop signs, often coming dangerously close to students. These incidents are being captured by BusPatrol, a company collaborating with school districts and law enforcement agencies. The program utilizes AI to identify and hold accountable drivers who violate traffic laws related to school buses.
One video highlights a particularly concerning scenario where a car passes a school bus, coming within feet of a student in the road.
“Every single one of these close calls and near-misses are jarring for the average person, to parents, to school administrators,” said Steve Randazzo, Chief Growth Officer at BusPatrol America.
BusPatrol provides its services free to school districts nationwide. The company’s AI system, named Ava, uses license plate recognition to identify lawbreakers. This information is then passed on to law enforcement, who determine whether to issue citations.
According to Randazzo, distracted driving is a major factor in drivers failing to comply with school bus stop signs. Ava is designed to activate when the school bus activates its amber lights, and can even recognize when the bus is slowing down.
According to the Florida Department of Education, over 11,000 illegal passes occur daily throughout Florida, amounting to nearly 2 million violations during a typical 180-day school year.
“If folks were more mindful…it can wait, even though it might be annoying to wait a minute for the kids to get on or off the school bus,” Randazzo stated. “Even if you’re rushing to that meeting, it’s not worth the risk. It’s not worth the risk to risk a child’s life.”
While the exact number of citations issued since Hillsborough County Schools began using the program last summer is currently unavailable, BusPatrol reports that 90% of previously cited drivers do not receive a second citation. The source of this information is FOX 13’s Jordan Bowen.
