More than 1,000 motorists have been cited for running past Harford public school bus stop signs since the start of the school year, according to data from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.

The data show that from the first day of school on Sept. 3 to Nov. 6, fines were issued to 1,228 motorists for $250 for illegally passing by stopped school buses that have flashing lights and stop signs extended.

On the first day of school alone, 25 motorists were cited, a decrease from last year’s 81 confirmed citations on the first day.

Citations are given through sensor-mounted cameras on the outside of school buses. The sensors engage when buses flash their lights and extend their arm and stop sign to let children on or off the bus.

Motorists on either side of the street caught passing buses when the lights and signs are engaged are photographed by the automated system and billed a $250 fine.

Confirmed citations this year compared to last year show a decrease. In September 2023, 914 citations were confirmed to have been issued; that number dropped to 533 confirmed citations in September this year.

Citations issued in October decreased by nearly half with the sheriff’s office reporting 684 confirmed citations compared to last October’s 1,244 citations.

Since the the devices were installed on all Harford County school buses in February 2023, , 10,410 citations have been issued — 9,412 have been confirmed by the sheriff’s office.

Based on the $250 fine, bus arm citations in Harford County have generated roughly $2.36 million in revenue.

According to Cristie Hopkins, director of media relations for the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, a portion of the revenue is used to pay Angel Tracks, the company responsible for the camera and sensor equipment, and the remainder goes to Harford County government to be used for traffic safety initiatives.

Traffic safety initiatives include a full-time civilian staff member at the sheriff’s office who reviews all captured violations.

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