Dearborn Launches Michigan’s First School Bus Camera Program to Protect Students
New stop-arm camera enforcement targets illegal passing and aims for zero violations.
The city of Dearborn, Michigan is preparing to launch a new program—the first of its kind in the state—aimed at improving student safety while using school buses.
According to ABC Detroit, starting January 19, approximately 100 school buses will be equipped with advanced cameras mounted on stop arms. These cameras will monitor and record drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses, ignoring red flashing lights and extended stop arms—behavior that puts children’s lives at serious risk.
From Law Change to Safer Streets
The system became possible following recent amendments to Michigan state law, which now allow the use of camera enforcement systems in coordination with police departments to issue traffic citations. State police data show that drivers illegally pass school buses more than 2,200 times every day, contributing to nearly 400,000 dangerous incidents annually.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud emphasized that the goal of the program is prevention rather than punishment, stating:“In Dearborn, we want to reach zero violations, because nine out of ten people who receive a traffic citation stop committing the offense afterward.”
The new system relies on multiple cameras installed on both sides of the bus. The cameras automatically activate when the stop arm is extended and the red lights are flashing, capturing clear images of violating vehicles from multiple angles. After the evidence is reviewed by the Dearborn Police Department, traffic citations are issued to reckless drivers.
No Cost to Taxpayers, Clear Message to Drivers
The program will be fully funded by citation revenues, meaning it will not impose any additional costs on taxpayers. The Dearborn Public Schools district, the third-largest in Michigan, serves around 20,000 students, more than 4,000 of whom rely on school buses daily, making it the primary beneficiary of the initiative.
While some officials initially raised concerns about privacy, State Representative Alabas Farhat confirmed that the system includes sufficient safeguards to protect student data, with access to recordings limited strictly to law enforcement.
Through this program, Dearborn aims to send a clear message to drivers: children’s safety comes first, and there is zero tolerance for violations when a school bus is stopped.
