Child Safety Program - FAQ

1. External camera systems are installed on the exterior driver’s side of a school bus.

2. The camera systems automatically monitor traffic when the bus stop-arm is deployed and red lights are displayed, allowing the bus driver to stay focused on the children.

3. The cameras are only triggered to capture data as a vehicle passes the bus while children are entering and exiting.

4. This data is reviewed and processed into an evidence file.

5. Evidence is reviewed for validity and confirmed by a Child Safety Program Reviewer.

6. Evidence is elevated for verification of an event as a violation.

7. The vehicle owner’s information is verified, a notice of violation document is created, and the notice is mailed to the owner.

School districts around the country are using automated stop-arm enforcement to curb dangerous driving behaviors on school bus routes. A safety camera system is installed on the exterior driver’s side of a school bus. It monitors and detects drivers who illegally pass school buses when the stop-arm is deployed and red lights are displayed, endangering the lives of children as they enter and exit the bus.

Stop arm photo enforcement is a tool law enforcement can use to protect children from motorists who illegally pass a stopped school bus. 

• It serves as a “force multiplier,” allowing local law enforcement to refocus their energies on other high-priority tasks while still ensuring the safety of students who ride Dothan City school buses.
• It automatically detects violations – no action is needed by the bus driver.
• It serves as a deterrent to breaking the law. The presence of the system itself causes drivers to think twice before passing a school bus.
• It increases awareness about school bus safety in our community. Stop-arm enforcement sparks a vital community conversation about student pedestrians and mindful driving.

In many cases, school officials are aware of dangerous bus stops due to past incidents. School bus route analysis is also conducted to assess the frequency of stop-arm passing incidents throughout the community.

In the Fall of 2022, the Child Safety Program recorded and verified 407 stop arm violations on only 20 Dothan City Schools buses in only 20 days during a pilot of the program. (Source: Child Safety Program powered by AngelTrax)

There is no cost to the school district for this program. The program is fully funded by the fines from violations.

Child Safety Program is a revenue sharing between Dothan City Schools and AngelTrax (founders and operators of the Child Safety Program).

Fines from violations will also be used towards offsetting fuel costs for Dothan City school buses, as well as towards driving education programs at Dothan High School.

No, the cameras are only triggered to capture data of a vehicle as it passes a school bus while the stop arm is deployed and the red lights are displayed.

Drivers cited through the Child Safety Program will face a $300 fine for each offense, as stated in the 2016 Code of Alabama Title 16, Chapter 27A, Section 16-27A-3(c) regarding fines for citations issued by an automated school bus enforcement program.

You can visit www.childsafetyprogram.us to pay for the citation or to view high-resolution images and video of the violation. To contest a citation, please follow the instructions provided with your citation to request a hearing.