TEMISKAMING OPP REMINDS DRIVERS TO WATCH OUT FOR SCHOOL BUSES

(DISTRICT) – The Temiskaming Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to remind drivers that students are returning to school after being off for March Break. It is important for drivers to be extra vigilant and to pay attention to the flashing red lights and other safety equipment used on school buses.

In 2021 the Temiskaming OPP issued three school bus related charges.

It is illegal to fail to stop for a STOPPED school bus that has its overhead red signal LIGHTS flashing. For a first time offence, you can be fined from $400 to $2,000 and have six demerit points added to your licence. In Ontario, school-bus drivers and other witnesses can report vehicles that have illegally passed a school bus. If you are the vehicle’s registered owner, these same fines may be applied to you.

School buses are 16 times safer than any other vehicle because of their design and safety features. All bus drivers receive extensive training in order to be qualified to operate them.

The next time you are driving and see a school bus, give it space, ease off the gas, and remember that it could stop at any time. A moment’s inattention can bring devastating consequences.

The safety of our children is a shared responsibility. Everyone using our roadways needs to exercise vigilance, patience and understanding in order to reach our ultimate goal of getting students to and from school safely all year.