In a joint press release on March 29, Heather Perry, Superintendent of Schools and Christopher Sanborn, Gorham Chief of Police, announced the installation of automated cameras in all Gorham School buses.
Earlier this fall, school bus drivers, parents and community members reported an increasing number of cars in Gorham not stopping for the flashing red lights of our school buses.
School district administration and representatives from the Gorham Police Department met earlier this fall with our school bus drivers to listen to their stories of violations and to hear them advocate for student safety.
As a result, the Gorham School Department has worked closely with the Gorham Police Department to implement a new technology that they hope will ensure the continued safety of our children while riding school buses.
They have installed automated stop-arm cameras to approximately half of our daily bus fleet and will install the other half later this summer.
Beginning immediately, individuals who pass Gorham School buses while red lights are flashing will have their vehicle’s license plates recorded on a time and date stamped video recording.
The school’s Transportation Department will then download this data and share it with The Gorham Police Department who will work to issue a summons to each individual violating this important safety law.
We hope that with this new equipment in place and with the continued partnerships between the Gorham School Department and the Gorham Police Department, that these violations will be greatly reduced.
Further, we hope that as a result, the likelihood of having to report a serious accident involving our children will be far less likely to occur.
To learn more about the systems that have been installed on our buses, you can go to the company’s website.
Ultimately, the goal is to ensure the safety of our students. The intent of this media release is to ensure our community is aware of this new technology and therefore, will be more vigilant in following this important safety law.
Please, STOP FOR SCHOOL BUSES WHEN RED LIGHTS ARE FLASHING. Our children, our families and our community thank you in advance.