Drivers in Lower Merion Township have racked up more than 12,000 citations for passing stopped school buses since a photo enforcement program launched Aug. 1, 2025.

Police Superintendent Andrew Block presented the figures at the Monday, Oct. 12, police committee meeting, first reported by Main Line Media News. The $300 civil penalty goes to the vehicle's owner, not necessarily the driver.

All 135 buses in the Lower Merion School District fleet carry cameras that capture license plates when a vehicle fails to stop. Officers review video of each incident before issuing a violation notice.

Montgomery and Lancaster avenues are the hot spots

Block said most violations happen on Montgomery Avenue and Lancaster Avenue, both four-lane undivided roads. Many drivers wrongly believe they do not have to stop for a school bus on a four-lane road, he said.

"The only time that they're exempt from it is if it's a divided highway per the vehicle code," Block said.

Under Pennsylvania law, the divided-highway exception applies only when a physical barrier separates opposing lanes.

Painted lines alone do not qualify.

Block said the department plans to run another public safety announcement about the stopping rules, as it did when the program first launched.

Red light cameras expanding to two more intersections

The township's first red light camera, at Lancaster Avenue and Remington Road in Wynnewood, has generated its own numbers. During a 60-day warning period that began May 13, the camera triggered 1,463 warnings. After $100 fines took effect July 13, the township issued 922 citations through Aug. 31. The total stood at 1,207 citations as of the Oct. 12 meeting.

Two more cameras are on the way. Block said a second camera will be installed at Lancaster Avenue and Haverford Station Road within 30 to 45 days of the Oct. 12 meeting, putting the target in mid- to late November. A third is expected at Montgomery Avenue and Airdale Road in January 2027.

The township does not keep revenue from red light fines. Collected funds cover administrative costs, with the remainder going to a state transportation enhancement fund, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported in August. If all three cameras are operating, the township has estimated initial annual revenue of roughly $24 million, declining to about $8 million as compliance improves.

Nearly 3,800 vehicle crashes were reported in Lower Merion between 2019 and 2023, a figure that has driven the push for automated enforcement.

Residents who receive a school bus citation can expect a $300 bill tied to their vehicle. Red light camera tickets carry a $100 fine. Pennsylvania's school bus stopping rules are outlined in Title 75, Section 3345 of the vehicle code.