The Suffolk County Commission on School Bus Safety says the results of a study on cars illegally passing school buses on the road are troubling.
The report followed a 2015-2016 school year study that allowed for the installation of cameras on three school buses. The commission found that there were 1,160 illegal school bus passes from those three buses alone.
"The results were horrific," said Legislator Sarah Anker. She supports the School Bus Camera Safety Act, which would allow police to penalize drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.
Commission members are urging Albany to pass the school bus camera safety act, a bill that would allow school districts to install cameras and record violators, as well as give police the authority to punish offenders. The act has bipartisan support in the state Senate and Assembly.
In the past four years, 35 children have been injured in traffic by drivers passing buses.
According to the commission, there have been 85 illegal passes of school buses so far this school year.