Lee County Issues 1,750 School Bus Tickets in Five-Day Enforcement Blitz

A five-day school bus camera-enforcement program in Lee County recorded 1,750 violations involving drivers who failed to stop for buses with flashing lights or extended stop arms. Beginning the first week of enforcement, the Lee County Sheriff's Office started issuing tickets for violations found through video evidence.

Hundreds of violations are recorded on video evidence each day. The majority of violations are due to people not following the law. One example is on Pondella Road, when a stopped school bus with children in it had 16 vehicles pass by it. Residents reported seeing repeated violations near neighborhoods and schools, underscoring the risks to students during pickup and drop-off times.

“Before somebody gets hurt, stop behind a bus,” said Rob Spicker from the School District of Lee County, according to WINK News.

Hotspot locations across five precincts were published to help drivers avoid repeat offenses and to increase awareness. A large percentage of all hotspots have been in Fort Myers, including Hansen, Fowler Street, Colonial Boulevard, Metro Parkway, and Winkler Avenue. Additional hotspots were identified in Homestead, Lehigh, and along US 41 in Estero, prompting calls for heightened caution around buses.

“That's a good thing that they are now giving tickets for people who aren't stopping for a bus,” said neighbor Gina Godsell.

“Somebody went by a bus the other day. People doing, I mean, there were kids all, you know, two schools right there. I mean, how dumb are you?” said Godsell.

Citations carry a $225 fine each, totaling $393,750 during the first week. Drivers who accrue multiple unpaid citations face ongoing penalties, including points on their driver's licenses. District officials reiterated that stopping behind a stopped school bus is mandatory and critical to protecting students.

“90% of the folks who are getting these citations will not get a second one,” said Spicker. “So as we hit those first-time offenders day after day, week after week, we're going to see the numbers start to go down eventually.”

The coordinated effort between the Sheriff's Office and the School District aims to improve driver attentiveness and enhance student safety, with officials expecting violations to decline over time.