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NEWPORT, N.C. – Some school systems in North Carolina are getting a high tech way to keep bus riders safe. Buses in Carteret, Wake, Iredell, Rowan, and Stokes Counties are being outfitted with a camera systems that captures what goes on inside and outside the bus.

Cameras inside a school bus is nothing new but these buses will have three external cameras capable of filming drivers who ignore the flashing stop sign on a school bus.

Carteret County Schools Transportation Director Lloyd Willis says it's often been hard to prove a school bus stop sign violation.

"In the past it comes down to being the bus driver's word versus the motorist's word. There's no proof of it actually happening,” said Willis. “They can say the stop arm wasn't fully deployed or there was somebody else driving their car."

Images taken by the cameras can be given to the State Highway Patrol and used as evidence. A grant from the Governor's Highway Safety program paid for seven buses across the state to be outfitted with the new system.

Derek Graham, Transportation Services Sector Chief with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction says if the pilot program shows success there may more of these systems installed.

"If people start modifying their behavior then certainly that's something we'll want to pursue trying to get more cameras out there state wide,” said Graham.

Drivers who are caught running the flashing stop sign on a school bus could face a fine and a penalty of five points on their license.