Aug. 26, 2026 – It’s a chilling close call captured on camera – one that could have ended in tragedy.
It begins with a school bus coming to a complete stop in the 1300 block of North Jefferson Street, extending two flashing stop signs as students prepare to exit.
Suddenly, a vehicle makes a left turn onto Jefferson, swiftly passing the first of the bus’s two stop signs and narrowly missing a student exiting the school bus. Moments later, two more students follow, crossing the street directly in front of the now-stopped car.
For Chayla Ferguson, Duval County Public Schools Director of Transportation, what the video reveals is simple:
“Stopping is not optional."
The video comes as a result of the Bus Stop-Arm Camera Violation Program, which launched in April of this year. Each district bus is equipped with stop-arm technology that captures video and license plate information of vehicles that illegally pass a stopped school bus while the stop-arms are extended. Violations carry a fine of $225.
Duval County School Police Chief Jackson Short said nearly 4,000 citations have been approved since the first day of school, Aug. 10. He affirmed the video is a reminder of the “why” behind the program – protecting students’ lives.
“This video highlights the importance of following state law by stopping for school buses with their red lights flashing,” said Short. “We narrowly avoided a tragedy on this day, and we hope that this is a wake-up call to all of Duval County drivers.”
Florida Statutes 316.172 and 318.18(5), along with SB 994, require motorists to stop for a school bus, set the penalty fee for violating the law, and authorize stop-arm camera enforcement technology.
Drivers traveling in all directions must come to a complete stop, unless driving on a divided highway separated by a physical median.
Additionally, under Florida law, school buses are required to make complete stops at all railroad tracks. Drivers who illegally pass school buses stopped at railroad tracks can face citations and points on their licenses.
Learn more by visiting the Bus Stop-Arm Camera Violation Program page.