North Bay parents, school bus company concerned over illegal school bus passing trend
Every afternoon, Natalie Pouliot waits to pick her two children up at their bus stop.
She has witnessed cars passing the bus illegally and is always worried that something will happen.
“I’m not the only ones with kids on this road,” she said.
“Are they going to be neglectful and zoom right by?”
Pouliot isn't the only one concerned. Just more than two weeks into the new school year, Stock Transportation in North Bay said drivers still aren’t getting the message.
The bus company said in 16 school days so far, there have been 36 incidents of drivers illegally passing school buses while their red lights were flashing.
“So that’s when the bus is completely stopped and the red lights are activated -- that is what the Highway Traffic Act requires,” said Stock Transportation GM Tim Feick.
“So it’s not the stop arm or the crossing gate. People are still distracted out there and still need to focus, be aware and take precautions.”
The bus company said drivers are also still confused over the new amber light system. Ontario school buses were equipped with the lights this school year, which warn drivers the bus is about to stop.
Motorists are not required to stop when the amber lights are flashing, but the bus company is calling for common courtesy and respect so kids are safe getting to and from school.
“The law isn’t being broken. There may be a courtesy issue there,” Feick said.
“People need to travel slower and be more respectful and courteous of traffic. They may be able to anticipate traffic and school buses.”
Drivers who fail to stop for stopped school bus with its overhead red lights flashing or its stop arm activated can be fined anywhere from $400 to $2,000 and receive six demerit points for a first offence.
If they break the rule a second time within five years, the penalty is a fine of $1,000 to $4,000 and six demerit points. The driver could also go to jail for up to six months.
“What’s so important that you have to get where you’re going?” asked Pouliot.
“If it was your kids, what would you do?”
Pouliot is hoping motorists get the message.
“Just stop. That’s all you have to do,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.