N.L. government looking to install cameras on all school buses

The Newfoundland and Labrador government is looking to expand and improve the use of cameras on school buses in the province.

It's not about the points and the fine, it's about what you can do to your own life and someone else's, if you don't follow the law around these school buses.- Education Minister Darin King

A recent pilot project saw some buses equipped with cameras to catch drivers who pass when lights are flashing and the stop arm has been extended.

Education Minister Darin King said the images were not clear enough to use as evidence in court, and added he will push for more money to install higher-quality cameras on all buses.

King said the emphasis should be on safety first, not catching offenders after the fact.

"I mean, you're talking about a lot of young children on the roads. It could be yours, it could be mine," King told CBC. 

"And it doesn't take much for a vehicle to hit someone — and heaven forbid, kill someone. I think that's the piece I'd like to remind people [about]. It's not about the points and the fine, it's about what you can do to your own life and someone else's, if you don't follow the law around these school buses."

King said the expanded plan would cost about $1.7 million and still needs approval.

Fines for passing school buses that are stopped letting children on or off range from $100 to $400, and will cost drivers six demerit points.