Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Town reports traffic trends; council approves plans for school-bus cameras
Summary
Presenter reported lower year-to-date traffic stops, a modest rise in accidents, and said the town council approved work to install cameras on school-bus arms to catch illegal passers; repeat offenders face large fines.
Presenter provided New Milford Police Department figures for 2026 so far: 774 traffic stops year-to-date (about 55 per week) compared with 1,546 last year (about 110 per week). He said winter weather reduced early-season enforcement but that recent overtime grants allowed enforcement to increase, producing 127 stops in the last week.
The presenter noted accident totals: 233 accidents in 2026 with 48 in parking lots, versus 219 last year with 44 parking-lot accidents — an increase of 14 attributed to winter conditions. He identified the two leading causes of collisions as following too closely and distracted driving and urged drivers to keep safe distances and avoid phone use.
On school-bus safety, the presenter said the town council approved selecting a vendor to install cameras on the arms of school buses to document motorists who pass stopped buses when red lights are engaged. He explained the stopping rules (drivers behind a stopped bus must stop; drivers in the opposite direction need not stop if a median separates them) and warned of penalties, noting that a repeat offense can carry a roughly $1,000 fine.
The presenter emphasized prevention and asked residents to obey traffic laws around buses and intersections to reduce collisions.
