MATTAWA -- Twenty years after 5-year-old Adam Ranger was killed getting off his school bus, his brother Pierre’s safety mission continues.
On Feb. 11, 2000, a truck with a trailer tried to pass Adam's stopped school bus. The truck swerved and missed Adam, but unfortunately, the trailer did not.
"Once I got there, I realized it was a lot worse than I ever could have imagined, and basically, it was like the worst nightmare of your life," said Pierre.
Pierre was 18-year-old when his brother was killed and was working at a grocery store when he got the news of the crash.
"The bus was still there. The bus driver was beside my dad. My dad was on the highway. Adam was still on the highway covered up by the bus driver’s coat," said Pierre.
Right after the tragic day, his mission began. A mission to ensure every student who takes a school bus to and from school arrives safely.
"Something good has to come from this and that something good would be: no child was killed and no more incidents happen," said Pierre.
He championed the "'Let's Remember Adam"' campaign, a movement that continues to see regulation amendments for school bus safety.
Earlier this year, Ranger delivered a petition with more than 1,000 signatures to Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli calling on the province to implement an 8-lamp amber light system.
Ranger also successfully pushed for stop-arm cameras on all Mattawa school buses.
According to provincial statistics, drivers pass stopped school buses in Ontario over 30,000 times every day. This illegal act is troubling to the OPP.
OPP Constable Shona Camirand says they see it every day, adding the latest instance of a vehicle passing a stopped bus took place in Bonfield on Monday.
"The bus had its red lights on and it had its stop-arm out, and the vehicle went by. Officers were able to locate that vehicle and charge the driver," said Camirand.
Ranger says it worries him hearing of other incidents taking place, but pledges that his fight for school bus safety will continue.
"Drivers pay attention, put your phone down and don’t be distracted," said Pierre.