Drivers have received more than 27,000 citations since Miami-Dade brought its school bus camera enforcement program back online in May, according to newly released figures obtained by Local 10.
The numbers come with video showing why the county says the problem remains serious. In footage aired by Local 10, vehicles continue past stopped school buses with their red lights flashing, including two clips in which children are already crossing the road.
One driver passes within feet of children in a crosswalk. In another clip, a vehicle continues alongside a bus while children remain in the street.
Each camera-issued violation carries a $225 civil penalty.
Caught on Camera
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The cameras are designed to capture vehicles that pass a school bus after its stop arm is deployed and its red lights are flashing.
Local 10 reported Sept. 30 that the more than 27,000 citations were based on figures it obtained from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. The station also reported that each bus uses nine cameras capable of recording violations from multiple angles.
Before a citation goes into the mail, the Sheriff’s Office reviews the evidence package rather than leaving the decision entirely to the automated system.
That review became an important part of the program’s second attempt.
A Second Start
Miami-Dade County Public Schools announced the program’s relaunch this spring after its previous version was suspended.
A joint announcement from the district and camera provider BusPatrol said the renewed system covered nearly 900 school buses. It restarted May 4 with a two-week warning period before $225 penalties began May 18.
Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said the earlier program had been suspended in April 2025 after problems were identified with enforcement and administrative procedures. Outstanding citations from the affected period were dismissed before the restart.
The updated process placed the Sheriff’s Office in charge of reviewing camera footage and determining whether the evidence supports issuing a violation.
With more than 27,000 citations reported since the restart, their combined face value would exceed $6 million if every one were ultimately upheld and paid. That figure does not account for dismissed, contested or unpaid violations.
When to Stop
Under Florida law, drivers approaching a stopped school bus displaying its stop signal must stop and remain stopped until the signal is withdrawn.
There is an exception for drivers traveling in the opposite direction on a divided highway when the directions of travel are separated by an unpaved space of at least five feet, a raised median or a physical barrier.
For drivers captured by Miami-Dade’s camera system, however, the Sheriff’s Office still reviews the recorded evidence before a violation is issued.
The goal articulated when the program returned was eventually to see no violations at all. Four months into live enforcement, the footage obtained by Local 10 shows drivers are still giving the cameras plenty to review.