During a 5-day study last May, school bus drivers reported vehicles failing to stop for the bus when lights were flashing. Approximately 150 of these incidents happened each day during the 5-day study. 75% of them occurred while the vehicle was approaching the bus from the front. These numbers concern the OPP because bus drivers are not the only people who are responsible for the lives of our children.
The Highway Traffic Act of Ontario indicates that when a school bus is stopped on the roadway with its red lights activated and “Stop” sign out, drivers must come to a complete stop, both in front of and behind the bus. Motorists must not pass the stopped bus until the stop arm is retracted and the red lights are turned off. The owner of a vehicle can be charged if their vehicle fails to stop for a school bus even if they were not the driver. French Catholic School Board buses are back on the road as of this morning.