North Bay police, safety advocates express frustration after disappointing back-to-school safety results

Police in North Bay are left feeling fed up and disappointed after officers have charged a couple of drivers and are conducting ongoing investigations into incidents of cars illegally passing stopped school buses during the first week of school.

A school bus turns a corner in North Bay, Ont., on September 16, 2024. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

The North Bay Police Service revealed the results of enforcement during the first week of school – during that time officers charged two people for illegally passing school buses and investigators are looking into three more instances.

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“We want all our kids to be safe. We send them off to school in the morning and we want them to return in the afternoon,” said Const. Merv Shantz.

“A big part of that is people needing to be being aware of their surroundings and slowing down.”

Police warn drivers that officers do follow school bus routes looking for any drivers illegally passing a stopped bus.

An undated photo of a parked North Bay Police Services vehicle. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

“If there's any infractions, then they can immediately take action,” Shantz said.

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Stock Transportation posted on social media that there have been 19 documented incidents of drivers failing to stop for a school bus in 8 days and 18 of these cases occurred within city limits.

The school bus company also noted all of its buses have cameras on them.

“The school bus lines do have their own reporting system. Those come to us and we investigate those as well,” Shantz said.

Pierre Ranger, the chair of the Let’s Remember Adam campaign is disappointed with the results.

“Hearing that number, basically outrages me,” he said.

“There’s frustration, anger, and sadness that people just refuse to put child safety above their own personal life.”

It is illegal to fail to stop for a stopped school bus that has its red lights flashing.

If you don’t stop, you can be fined $400-$2,000 and receive six demerit points for a first offence. If you are convicted a second time within five years, the penalty is a fine of $1,000 to $4,000 and six demerit points. You could also go to jail for up to six months.

“A little boy lost his life in Quebec,” said Ranger.

“It's only a matter of time before some more children get injured or worse in Ontario.”

At this point, he told CTV News that he believes the only way to get drivers to follow these rules is to increase the penalties.

“It should be the same as the stunt driving law,” said Ranger.

“Losing your license for 14 days. You have impound fees, and you have to go to court to explain why you should keep that license. That should be the same.”

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An undated photo of the rear of a school bus in North Bay, Ont. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Police also nabbed six drivers were caught speeding in school zones where the limit is 40 km/h during the first week of school.