Company catches multiple vehicles ignoring school bus stop signs

WINNIPEG — After a four month pilot project a local company is pushing to have cameras permanently placed on school buses to keep children safe and fine those who ignore the flashing red stop signs.

Winnipeg-based company Teknisult placed cameras on ten buses across the prairies to see how often drivers ignored the stop sign and endangered themselves and the kids taking the bus. Seven buses were chosen in Manitoba, two in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan.

The cameras caught the drivers in the act and the video was then put onto DVDs. The DVDs were then sent to the relevant school division.  In one video a car can be seen narrowly missing a pedestrian.

Over the four month period 423 violations were caught on camera.

WATCH: Cameras catch multiple vehicles ignoring the flashing red stop sign

“The awareness needs to be raised enough where students safety is improved enough, where they know they can cross the street knowing that they aren’t going to have an accident or a close call or worse,” Maurice Gregoire said Tuesday.

Teknisult hopes to use the information gathered to spread awareness of the dangers and how often this violation happens.

Police say video can help them in court, but they still need the testimony from the bus driver.

“The intention was to collect the evidence to accompany the drivers report so that the drivers report is there and there is the video, okay, we’re good,” Gergoire added.