Brooklyn Councilman's Plan Aims To Catch Drivers Who Fail To Yield To School Buses

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A Brooklyn city councilman wants to crack down on drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses that are dropping off or picking up children.

Councilman David Greenfield is introducing legislation Wednesday, calling for school buses to be equipped with cameras that would photograph cars caught illegally maneuvering around the bus. The owner of the car would then be ticketed.

Greenfield said he has seen  a "significant increase" in drivers who pull around stopped school buses, threatening the lives of children.

"I've heard from many parents who tell me, 'I'm picking up or dropping off my kid and I can't believe how a car literally just sped around my kid and almost hit my child.' It's just not acceptable," Greenfield told 1010 WINS.

Last year, the NYPD issued about 3,000 summonses to drivers who failed to yield to school buses, but officials believe there are more drivers getting away with it.

"The challenge is that it's one of those few tickets where the NYPD actually has to see it happening in order to give you a ticket," Greenfield said.

Similar legislation has been introduced in the state Senate, but Greenfield's proposal would need to be approved by the state Assembly.

"It takes a really sad kind of person to cut off a school bus to save a few seconds and in the interim endanger the lives of a child," Greenfield said. "It's wrong, it's reckless, it's dangerous and hopefully you're going to get a ticket now."

Greenfield said he is also trying to get the support of the City Council for the plan which he calls "a common sense solution to a very serious problem."

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