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Colts Neck board hears pilot results as police issue summons from stop‑arm camera captures
Summary
Transportation coordinator Nicole Rosco briefed the board on a stop‑arm camera pilot and enforcement workflow; police said five summonses have been issued and urged parents and motorists to treat bus stop arms as a serious safety issue rather than a nuisance.
Nicole Rosco, the district transportation coordinator, told the Colts Neck Township Board of Education that illegal passings of stopped school buses remain a significant safety risk and described the district’s pilot program using stop‑arm cameras. Rosco said national data show 31% of school‑bus drivers recorded illegal passings in a one‑day survey and projected annual illegal passings could exceed millions nationwide. "Each violation puts children's lives in immediate risk," she said, urging public awareness.
Rosco described the technical process: cameras and DVRs on buses capture still images and video, drivers can trigger a photograph when a vehicle ignores flashing red lights, and clear images of vehicle make/model and license plate are required before police will pursue a summons. She noted New Jersey currently limits automatic civil penalties based solely on photographs, so the district and police work through the prosecutor's office on a case‑by‑case basis.
Sergeant Walsh of the county traffic safety/fatal‑accident unit described investigative steps the department uses to identify drivers when plates or images are imperfect and said his office has worked with the municipal prosecutor; he reported five summonses issued so far in cases the local prosecutor accepted. "If I can get the license plate off of it, I use other investigative tools such as license‑plate‑recognition systems," he said, adding that prosecutions are intended to deter repeat offenders.
Board members asked about evidence standards, fines and whether the district can publish images. Administrators said fines for violations under current statutes range from a $250 minimum up to $1,000 and carry five motor‑vehicle penalty points; actual fine amounts are set by the court. The administration said it will send a joint parent notice with the police and post guidance and selected images on the district website to increase compliance, coordinating with the prosecutor's office on what may be posted publicly.
The board did not take formal action at the conclusion of the presentation but directed staff to publish outreach materials and continue working with the police and prosecutor on enforcement procedures and legal guidance.
