Transportation Safety Presentation at Dec. 19 TPO Board Meeting

Published: December 20, 2024

Bartow, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2024) – The TPO Board welcomed special guests Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Superintendent Fredrick Heid during the Dec. 19 board meeting to give presentations on transportation safety.

The presentations focused on the need to improve safety measures within Polk County to protect it’s residents.

Sheriff Judd presented details on the “Safe Stop” program. Polk County Public Schools has partnered with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office to have cameras installed on Polk County school buses to crack down on drivers who illegally pass while they’re stopped.

Superintendent Heid shared that the program came about due to the number of student fatalities from traffic-related incidents within the district last year. He stated that during the 2023 -24 school year there were more than 25 students involved in vehicle-pedestrian incidents, 14 of those resulted in students being transportation to a hospital, 13 resulted in fatalities. “The worst part of my job is attending funerals and viewings for (students) families” Heid solemnly shared.

The sheriff said while he’s historically been against red light cameras, he was brought to see the benefit of having them on school buses to keep Polk’s students safe.

There were 5,000 warnings written within the first 60 days of adding the cameras to the buses.  The sheriff stated “Since Sep. 24 through the end of November, we have written 4,668 citations, 80 a day, for running stopped school bus arms.”

Superintendent Heid shared that the violation videos are reviewed by law enforcement for approval, prior to a warning or violation being issued.

The goal of this program is to address dangerous driving behavior and improve the safety of Polk County students as they travel to and from school.

 

The Dec. 19 TPO Board Meeting is available to watch on-demand.