REDFLEX Student Guardian™, an automated safety camera system that monitors and deters drivers who illegally pass school buses, has been implemented in several Georgia school districts.
According to a one-day survey conducted by the Georgia Department of Education in May, 7,349 vehicles illegally passed school buses in 4,222 incidents. In many instances, several vehicles passed the buses at a single stop.
School districts in Bartow County, Henry County, Heard County and the City of Marietta have implemented Student Guardian this school year as part of an effort to combat this activity. According to the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, 11 students in Georgia have been struck and killed by motorists illegally passing school buses since 1995.
The Student Guardian safety camera system is installed on the front and rear driver’s side of a school bus. It monitors traffic while the bus’ stop arm and amber lights are displayed, leaving the bus driver free to focus on students. Evidence of violations, including high-definition video and high-resolution images, is submitted to local law enforcement to determine whether a citation is warranted.
Student Guardian has been developed by Redflex Traffic Systems®, Inc. in Phoenix, Ariz., a leading provider of road safety technologies and photo enforcement solutions throughout North America. Each school district reached an agreement with Redflex to operate Student Guardian without any upfront costs. The programs are fully funded by violations.
