Be prepared to stop for school buses starting Tuesday

North Bay -

With thousands of students heading back to the classroom Tuesday, Nipissing Parry Sound Student Transportation Services is reminding drivers to be cautious while on the roads.

Executive director Chuck Seguin told CTV News drivers should leave a few minutes early for work, and be prepared for their morning and afternoon commute to be a bit longer.

Seguin is also reminding drivers that it’s the law to stop for a school bus that has its stop sign out.

“If you see a school bus, you should expect that it may have to stop, to either drop off a student or pick a student up,” he said.

“Rule of thumb, you see that big yellow bus, expect the lights to come on, be prepared to stop, watch for the stop arm. Make your stop when you have to.”

“It is legislation that you must stop when those stop arms are out there and those signals are flashing,” he added.

Police say fines for illegally passing a stopped school bus range from $490 to $2,000, plus six demerit points for a first offence.