State lawmakers are currently debating the return of automated traffic enforcement in New Jersey to address the growing issue of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses. While camera enforcement has been banned in the state since the 2014 expiration of the red-light camera pilot program, two new bills—A1432 and its Senate companion—aim to authorize “stop-arm cameras” on school buses.
The push comes after a 2025 study in Woodbridge conducted with Bus Patrol recorded 2,480 vehicles illegally passing stopped buses. Currently, 32 states, including New York and Pennsylvania, have already authorized similar safety programs.
Legislative Progress and Proposed Penalties
The lead bill, A1432, sponsored by Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak (D-Middlesex), recently saw amendments that would:
• Raise fines for violations from $250 to $300.
• Establish an administrative appeal process for drivers to contest citations.
• Require municipalities to provide electronic forms for challenging tickets.
State Senator Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, supports the measure but prefers it move during the next legislative session starting in mid-January. “This isn’t a hypothetical… it’s literally putting kid’s lives at stake,” Diegnan stated, recounting an incident where he witnessed cars “flying by” a bus loading a handicapped child.
Debate Over Safety vs. Revenue
The proposal has met strong opposition from groups like the National Motorists Association (NMA). Steve Carrellas, NMA state policy director, argues that the safety case is exaggerated.
“The use of automated school bus stop-arm cameras is the best example of a scam, as decades of federal data show that illegal school bus passing rarely results in severe injury or death,“ Carrellas said. “There is no compelling safety case for their deployment.”
Carrellas points to NHTSA data from 2012 to 2021:
• Of 1,110 fatalities involving school vehicles, only 5% (55 pedestrians) were struck by a car.
• 12% of pedestrian fatalities in these zones were actually struck by the school vehicle itself.
• Carrellas noted that a child is 19,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning than killed by a motorist illegally passing a bus.
Conversely, safety advocates like Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, argue that automated traffic enforcement is a safer and more effective tool for police than roadside stops. “Law enforcement can’t be everywhere and cameras are effective in reducing red light running and speeding,” Chase said.
How the Program Would Work
If passed, the cameras would capture images of the vehicle and license plate. A trained police officer would review the images before a summons is issued. Crucially, the violation would be a civil action, meaning drivers would face fines but would not receive motor vehicle points—a distinction critics claim proves the program is designed for “profit-making” rather than true deterrence.
