The department's social media post wasn't just talk. It came with receipts in the form of video surveillance showing close calls where reckless drivers sped past stopped buses as children crossed the street.
The footage is a reminder that it's only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt or killed.
MDPD said its cameras had already logged 11,500 violations across the county since the 2024-25 school year began on August 15. According to Florida statutes, if you're caught on camera breaking the law, it'll cost you at least $225 in fines and fees for a moving violation.
New Times checked in with detective Andre Martin of the MDPD, who didn't mince words about the scale of the problem.ALERT 🚨: We want to remind motorists that if you illegally pass a stopped Miami-Dade County school bus with flashing lights and an extended stop arm, you will receive a citation of $225. Since the start of the 2024/2025 school year, there have been approximately 11,500 school… pic.twitter.com/vZm6uFUoDd
— Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) August 28, 2024
"There have been 11,500 notices of violations, meaning there have been 11,500 incidents where people did not stop for the equipment activated on these school buses, and it was caught on camera and those recordings were confirmed to be violations," Martin says, making it clear that these aren't borderline calls.
"What's being enforced here is the law that's already on the Florida state statute books," he says. Any police officer enforcing the law in that capacity can write a citation for anyone who violates this law.
The MDPD uses the camera evidence to issue violation notices by mail. Repeat offenders can have their driver's license suspended.
"The Miami-Dade Police Department is the de facto sheriff's office of Miami-Dade County, which means we can enforce laws within any of those municipalities whether or not they have their own police department," Martin adds. "If a bus is going through Coral Gables and someone passes this bus while the equipment is activated, we will still be issuing them a notice of violation. So, it doesn't matter what municipalities they're in, whether it's incorporated or unincorporated. If it's captured on camera and considered a violation, we would be the issuing agency."
Bottom line: Don't mess around with school bus safety. You're not only risking a fine, you're putting lives on the line.
