Drivers who roll past a stopped school bus in Cherokee County could soon be staring at a $1,000 ticket in the mail, as the school district moves to equip every bus with stop-arm cameras. The district says it will start with a 30-day warning period on March 30, 2026, before $1,000 citations begin going out to vehicle owners on May 4, 2026, in an effort to protect students and crack down on risky driving near bus stops.
According to the Cherokee County School District, cameras are being installed on all school buses at no cost to the district through a partnership with vendor BusPatrol. When a bus’s stop arm is out, footage will be captured and later reviewed by CCSD Police before any citation is issued. The district notes its roughly 450 bus drivers cover about 27,500 miles a day transporting students around the county. Under the revenue-sharing setup, BusPatrol keeps a portion of collected fines, while the remaining funds go back to the district for safety and security projects.
Local reporting by WSB-TV highlights just how often drivers ignore bus stop signs. During a one-day audit last school year, the district logged 262 incidents of motorists illegally passing stopped buses. WSB-TV reports that warning notices will be mailed during the education window beginning March 30, with $1,000 citations following by mail starting May 4.
How the camera program works
The system relies on multiple cameras mounted on each bus that activate only when the stop arm and red lights are deployed. The Cherokee County School District explains that the video is securely transmitted for review, and if CCSD Police confirm a violation, a citation is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. The rollout also includes upgraded interior cameras and an online driver-education portal the district says is meant to cut down on repeat offenses.
Legal context
All of this is happening against the backdrop of tougher state law. Georgia’s stricter penalty for passing a stopped school bus, known as “Addy’s Law” and enacted in 2024, reclassified the offense as a high and aggravated misdemeanor with a minimum $1,000 penalty and possible jail time. AP News has detailed the legislation and the tragic case that led to its passage.
What drivers should know
Drivers flagged by the cameras will receive a citation in the mail, along with instructions and a link to the AlertBus portal, where they can review video of the incident, contest the citation, or pay the fine. The district says any money it receives from the program will be reinvested into school safety and security…