Students across the country board school buses daily to get to and from school safely. But have you ever wondered if any additional safety measures are in place to protect the students?
It may surprise you to learn that many school buses have cameras onboard. This article will take an in-depth look at bus safety regulations, including where school buses have cameras and what types of footage they record.
So please read on to learn more about this critical safety measure and how it helps keep our children safe on the road.
Table of Contents
The purpose of school bus cameras – Why Do School Buses Have Cameras?
School buses have several safety features, including lights, mirrors, and seat belts for each student. But there are also cameras on the bus, with the specific purpose of monitoring the safety of the passengers.
These cameras often record footage later used as evidence to determine liability in any school bus accident. This way, school bus cameras are a safety feature that helps with accident investigation.
The essential function of school bus cameras is to protect the safety of the passengers on the bus. School buses are often large vehicles that can be difficult for smaller cars to navigate. In a collision, having footage of the incident can be incredibly useful in deciding who was at fault.
Types of cameras used on school buses
Many different types of cameras can be found on school buses, depending on the needs of a specific bus route. For example, some buses have cameras that record inside and outside the vehicle.
These are called “dual-view” cameras and can provide helpful information following an accident. Other types of school bus cameras include: School buses also sometimes have cameras installed in the driver’s seat to monitor the bus driver’s actions.
These cameras are mounted on the bus ceiling and are sometimes used to record the driver following an accident.
Where do school buses have cameras?
Many school buses have cameras installed, including those that transport special needs children, those used for sports teams, and others used for regular school routes. In most cases, cameras will be installed above and behind the front seats, where they can best record the actions of passengers and other road users.
In rare cases, school buses may also have cameras installed inside the bus, above the seats. These cameras are generally found on large school buses that travel long distances or have multiple passengers.
The importance of school bus camera footage
There are many benefits to having school bus cameras on the vehicle, including the following.
Increased safety:
One of the most important benefits of school bus cameras is that they can help increase students’ safety on the road, mainly if the camera records inside the bus.
Having footage from inside the vehicle can be incredibly helpful following an accident, as it can be used to determine the cause of the incident.
Reduced liability:
Another essential benefit of school bus cameras is that they can help reduce liability in an accident. If a bus driver or another road user is at fault, footage from the bus camera can be used to prove the other party’s actions.
School bus camera footage can also be used to establish the activities of the bus driver and other passengers onboard the vehicle. This can be helpful if students are at fault, as it can prevent them from unfairly receiving a citation.
How school bus cameras are used
School bus cameras are generally activated when the vehicle is in motion and when the bus stops. Some bus drivers may manually activate the camera in certain situations, such as when they drop special needs children at school.
On larger buses, cameras are often connected to the vehicle’s power supply, while smaller vehicles may be equipped with a battery-powered camera. As with other cameras, school bus footage can be stored in many ways.
It may be stored on a cloud server, saved to a computer, or written to an SD card. In most cases, the footage will be automatically saved when the camera is activated, and it may also be possible to keep footage manually.
State laws regarding school bus cameras
State and federal laws regulate school buses, and these laws may vary. School buses must generally have several safety features, including seat belts, lights, and cameras.
The number of cameras required on a bus will depend on the bus type and the vehicle’s age. School bus cameras are often activated both when the bus is in motion and when it is stopped, and they are required to record both inside and outside the vehicle.
In some cases, school buses may also need a camera installed in the driver’s seat.
Challenges with school bus cameras
Like all types of cameras, school bus cameras have some challenges. The most common challenge is that many school districts cannot retain the footage following an accident.
This means it may not be possible to prove the cause of the incident with the footage. School bus cameras may also be located in areas where it is difficult to see important aspects of the accident, like the position of another vehicle or the actions of a pedestrian on the road.
Potential benefits of school bus cameras
Despite the challenges of school bus cameras, many potential benefits can come with the feature. In a severe accident, school bus cameras can provide helpful information, such as the position of vehicles, the speed of cars, and the distance between vehicles.
School bus cameras can also help to protect the reputation of a bus driver who was not at fault in an accident. In cases where a bus driver is at fault, school bus cameras can help prove that the driver was responsible for the incident.
Conclusion
All in all, school buses have several safety features to protect students on the road. One such feature is cameras that record the inside and outside of the vehicle, which can be helpful following an accident. School bus cameras can also help reduce liability in accidents, protect drivers’ reputations, and increase passengers’ safety.
