Since cameras were installed by School District 47 in December 2018 on school buses to catch violators of traffic laws, Powell River RCMP has laid six charges.
The program is doing what was intended, according to school district superintendent, Jay Yule.
“We have created a model of cooperation between the public, school district and RCMP with the use of the new bus cameras,” said Yule. “Working collaboratively we are making our roads safer.”
School district transportation manager Shaun Garvey said the cameras are catching people breaking laws through evidence and reports that were not available prior to their installation.
But, according to Powell River RCMP staff sergeant Rod Wiebe, people continue to break the law.
“So far the cameras have provided very good evidence to assist in our investigations but it has been very disappointing with the number of vehicles that disregard the flashing red lights on the school buses,” said Wiebe. “Several violation tickets have been issued and several investigations are ongoing.”
According to Garvey, there are two cameras mounted on nine school district buses. One camera is rear-facing and there is a front-facing camera on the driver's side.
“If a vehicle is approaching our bus and the lights and the stop arm are activated, there is a code which is registered on the video which clearly indicates that the stop arm is deployed,” said Garvey. He added the recording also registers that the signal light is on, the brake is engaged and GPS coordinates identify the location.
“Any vehicle approaching our buses and passing that camera, it's running all the time the bus is operating,” said Garvey. “That camera will pick up the video in its entirety both with the forward-facing camera, facing at the front of the vehicle, as well as the rear-facing camera facing toward the rear of the vehicle.”
Garvey said he goes through a process if a bus driver identifies that a vehicle has gone through when the stop arm is deployed.
“I get the driver's report, then go into the bus, pull the video, both the forward-facing and rear-facing video,” added Garvey. “I then stream the video to ensure that violation is very clear and the plate is easily identifiable. I pull stills of the vehicle, the front-facing camera and the rear-facing camera, showing the vehicle going through with the lights on and with the plate easily identifiable. I submit both the stills, as well as shorter video clips of the actual event to the RCMP with the driver's report.”
There is, however, a blind spot. Since the buses do not have cameras on the passenger side, Garvey said there have been incidents where vehicles go by stopped school buses on the passenger side.
“A bus was stopped to pick up students at the lookout on Marine [Avenue] and a couple of vehicles went through the lookout parking lot and around our bus,” said Garvey. “This happens at both that location as well as Black Point Store fairly routinely. It's hard to believe how many people do go through these and how many people just flagrantly ignore either the law or are ignorant to it.”
Wiebe said if drivers disobey the lights and laws regarding school buses, they can expect a visit from RCMP.
“And we don’t give warnings,” he added.
