By Talia Kaplan
Chesterfield, MO (KSDK) - A local school district is going the extra mile to catch drivers who try to sneak around stopped school buses.
Kittie Rice has been a bus driver for 20 years, five of which she has been driving hundreds of students to and from school in the Parkway School District.
"I love the kids and can't imagine doing anything else," said Rice.
Rice says she notices that people don't always stop when they're supposed to.
"Whenever people pass the stop arm it makes me both sad and afraid and scared. I'm scared for children's lives. I carry the most precious cargo in the world," said Rice.
Rice was thrilled when she started off this school year with new state of the art technology that will catch those who break the law.
In addition to the two security cameras inside all 148 buses, now there is a camera on the left exterior of 12 new buses in the fleet.
"I think they are fantastic they are a great idea," said Rice.
Parents feel the same. Janet Robey-Schwartz has two children who attend Parkway schools. They both travel on the buses every day.
"I think it will save lives, " said Robey-Schwartz.
"We purchase 10 to 12 buses a year. A bus is approximately $70,000 and relative to cost of the bus $180 for camera. We think it's a good investment for student safety we really do," said Will Rosa, the district's transportation director.
He says when driver's don't stop, the license plates are caught on camera and the video is sent to police .
"I believe people all along should have been paying attention to the stop arms being out but I believe if they are being watched they will pay even more attention," said Rice.
Rosa says the district turned in 55 stop arm violators last year, so far this year they caught seven.
"We'd like to have zero that's always our goal," said Rosa.
He says the district will evaluate the cameras and decide if they will add even more to the fleet.
KSDK