Bullying remains a large school bus safety issue today. This is true because buses often have limited or no supervision. Because of this, incidents of physical and mental abuse, emotional control, and even threats occur frequently. For most students, the process to school becomes something they fear more than the haven they’re headed to.

Students usually experience significant social stress among their age cohort, most notably in the sphere of friendships. This situation provides the basis for many forms of bullying conduct, such as physical altercations, disrespectful name-calling, as well as emotional exploitation. Statistics from the National Center for Educational Statistics indicate that the bullying victimizes one out of every five students between the ages of 12 and 18 is bullied. As a result, schools are turning more and more to the use of CCTV cameras on school buses as part of the bullying deterrent measures. CCTV cameras do more than provide a deterrent effect; they also allow the school administrator to review conduct and help to make the school environment safer.K

Let’s take a close look at onboard camera systems for buses. By understanding how efficiently these school bus behavior monitoring systems curb bullying and promote overall student protection, decision-makers can see how student safety technology improves daily transportation. With today’s school bus safety technology, schools can establish a safer environment where children are protected throughout their commute.

Understanding Bullying on School Buses

What Counts as Bullying?

Bullying is characterized by repeated aggressive behavior intended to harm another individual, carried out by one or more individuals. It can take various forms:

• Physical Bullying: Bullying through physical damage or threats, like striking or shoving.
• Verbal Bullying: Involves insulting, mocking, or even threatening.
• Emotional Bullying: Involves more subtle manipulations that can damage an individual’s self-worth, including gossiping or isolating someone from a group.

Different types of bullying can negatively impact a child’s ability to learn and their mental well-being. Research suggests that victimization not only harms emotional health but can also reduce academic achievement. Thus, a protective environment built with the help of technology to prevent bullying in schools has become Important. 

Statistics

The figures regarding bullying in schools are alarming. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 67.4% of school bus drivers have observed bullying incidents on their buses. This impacts nearly 12 million children who experience bullying during their daily commute. For this reason, monitoring school bus behavior with real-time surveillance technology in schools is no longer optional it’s a necessary step to protect children from bullying on buses.

For a more proactive approach, schools are also adopting real-time school bus monitoring to track and reduce bullying incidents effectively.

Bullying Prevalence by Setting (2024–2025 survey data)

Challenges in Addressing Bullying

Several challenges contribute to the underreporting and difficulty in addressing bullying on school buses:

• Lack of Adult Supervision: A single driver in the bus without any supervisor makes it very easy for bullies to victimize students. 
• Fear of Retaliation: Quiet and timid children are the ones mostly bullied. This is because they feel too intimidated to report incidents.
• Group Dynamics: Even if a student doesn’t want to, peers often pressure others to contribute. As for the ones watching, they are afraid to report; otherwise, they might become the next targets.

READ MORE: Preventing School Bus Bullying with Onboard Camera Systems.