Orange County Releases School Bus Safety Video Highlighting Illegal Passes

Yisroel R.

Orange County officials have released a new public safety video aimed at addressing the ongoing issue of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses, a dangerous practice that continues to put children at risk.

The video, announced by County Executive Steve Neuhaus along with the Orange County Department of Emergency Services, features real footage captured by enforcement cameras mounted on school buses. The footage shows multiple instances of vehicles passing buses while children are getting on or off, highlighting how often these violations occur.

Officials say more than 1,000 school buses across 14 school districts in Orange County are now equipped with these cameras, including districts such as Kiryas Joel, Monroe-Woodbury, Newburgh, and Middletown. The system is designed to document violations and allow authorities to issue fines directly to vehicle owners.

Neuhaus said the goal of the program is to improve safety and hold drivers accountable, emphasizing that motorists must stop whenever a bus has red lights flashing. Under New York State law, drivers are required to stop in both directions, and violations carry a $250 fine for a first offense.

Emergency Services officials added that the footage reveals not only frequent violations, but also several close calls involving children. They said the video is being released as part of a broader effort to educate drivers and reduce risky behavior around school buses.