Catasauqua Area is one of three Lehigh Valley school districts to partner with BusPatrol - the world’s most deployed stop-arm enforcement technology provider - to launch school bus safety programs to reduce the number of times motorists illegally pass school buses and put children at risk.

The public safety announcement coincides with the start of National School Bus Safety Week, which began Oct. 17.

The annual educational initiative serves as a way to bring together school administrators, bus operators, teachers, parents and other stakeholders to promote best practices involving school bus safety across the country.

The safety programs will see the entire fleets at Catasauqua Area, Salisbury Township and Wilson Area school districts, totaling more than 80 school buses, modernized with advanced safety technology.

This includes AI-powered stop-arm cameras, which capture the license plates of vehicles that violate school bus stopping laws. The technology, installation and maintenance are provided at no cost to the school district or taxpayers through BusPatrol’s violator-funded program.

“Through these partnerships, we are working to make Pennsylvania safer for students while helping to make our roads safer,” said Jean Souliere, CEO and founder at BusPatrol. “During National School Bus Safety Week, we are committed to educating motorists on the rules of the road, reminding drivers to slow down and protecting our children getting on and off the bus.”

The programs are poised to go live at the end of this month following a public awareness campaign educating motorists about school bus safety laws and teaching children safety tips for getting on and off the bus.

Catasauqua Area, Salisbury Township and Wilson Area school districts are the latest in the Lehigh Valley to implement BusPatrol school bus safety programs.

At the start of this school year, 16 school districts across Pennsylvania launched similar safety initiatives, including Allentown and Bethlehem Area school districts.

Pennsylvania authorities reported more than 250 stop-arm violations in one day during Operation Safe Stop 2021.

As stated by the state Department of Transportation, motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop-arm extended. The penalty for a first-time violation is $300.