The Brief
- Drivers in Polk County continue passing stopped school buses despite stop-arm cameras operating on all 515 buses across the county.
- Law enforcement officials issued 94 citations on the first day of school, after averaging 74 tickets per school day during 2025.
- Law enforcement screens out close calls, issuing $225 fines only to motorists who blatantly disregard safety equipment and endanger students.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Polk County law enforcement officers are cracking down on drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses equipped with automated safety cameras.
Polk County bus safety
What we know:
All 515 school buses in the county now carry stop-arm safety cameras to catch motorists putting children in danger. On the first day of school this year, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office issued 94 citations to violators.
Deputies averaged 74 traffic citations per school day in 2025. Each violation carries a $225 fine, with $200 going to the local school district and $25 directed to the Florida Department of Health’s Emergency Medical Services Trust Fund.
Bus citation screening process
What they’re saying:…