City of Lowell Pursues Adoption of New School Bus Safety Law

The City of Lowell is taking new steps to strengthen student safety and hold drivers accountable for illegally passing stopped school buses. City officials are working to adopt a recently enacted state law that authorizes the use of automated traffic enforcement cameras on school buses - allowing the Lowell Police Department to issue citations based on video evidence captured by the cameras.

The initiative comes in response to ongoing concerns about drivers disregarding stopped school buses as children board or exit. Each year, thousands of violations are recorded statewide, posing serious risks to students and families. Under the proposed program, cameras installed on school buses would record any vehicle that passes while the red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended. Violations would be reviewed by the Lowell Police Department, and citations would be mailed to the registered vehicle owner.

"The City of Lowell has already been aggressive in implementing traffic calming measures across our neighborhoods," said City Manager Thomas A. Golden, Jr. "This program doubles down on that effort. There is no place for drivers putting children in harm's way. My administration has already met with third-party companies that have successfully implemented these programs elsewhere, as well as with the Lowell Police Department, to determine the best approach for Lowell."

"Protecting our children is one of the most important responsibilities we have as a community," said Mayor Daniel P. Rourke. "I want to thank City Manager Golden and his team for moving quickly to explore this program and for working closely with the Lowell Police Department and outside partners to bring it forward. This initiative reinforces our collective commitment to safety and uses modern technology to deter dangerous driving behavior around our schools."

The state law, Chapter 399 of the Acts of 2024, was signed earlier this year to give Massachusetts cities and towns the authority to adopt automated enforcement programs aimed at reducing school bus violations. Several communities, including Methuen, have already moved forward with implementation, citing improved compliance and stronger public awareness.

"We're encouraged by the potential of this new school bus safety technology to enhance the protection of students across the City of Lowell," said Police Superintendent Greg Hudon. "The Lowell Police Department remains firmly committed to student safety, as reflected in our increased traffic enforcement around school zones. This technology serves as an additional tool to support those ongoing efforts. We're eager to assist with any pilot programs and will carefully evaluate the technology's real-world impact as part of our commitment to evidence-based safety solutions."

If adopted, the program would include a public education campaign to ensure drivers understand when they are legally required to stop for school buses. City officials are also reviewing options for dedicating citation revenues to school transportation and safety initiatives.

Drivers are reminded that Massachusetts law requires all motorists to stop when a school bus extends its stop arm and activates flashing red lights - on all roadways except those divided by a physical median. Failing to stop can result in significant fines and endanger children crossing the street.