All 300 buses in North Carolina’s Harnett County Schools are getting upgrades in safety features, including stop-arm cameras, Long-Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity, and emergency-response technology.

The district is working with safety technology company BusPatrol on the new program, which includes cloud-managed, 360-degree safety cameras and stop-arm cameras to deter drivers from illegally passing school buses. The equipment, installation, and maintenance are provided free to the school district, according to BusPatrol.

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Dr. Aaron Fleming, superintendent of Harnett County Schools, said student safety is paramount and that he’s proud to have BusPatrol as a partner.

“Our students’ safety starts and ends with a bus ride, and parents put their trust in our hands,” Fleming said.

Jean Souliere, chief executive officer and founder of BusPatrol, said the Harnett County project is an exciting milestone as it marks the first such program in North Carolina.

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“Our goal is to create a reflex in drivers, so that every time they see a school bus on the roads, they slow down and prepare to stop,” Souliere said.

According to reports, more than 3,000 drivers illegally pass school buses every day in North Carolina, putting children at risk. The penalty for first-time violators, by state law, is $400.