Watch for kids, buses and don't 'overshare': OPP

It is that time of year once again when children are heading back to school and numerous big yellow vehicles will return to the road. To that end, police in northeastern Ontario are reminding both parents and drivers to be safe.

New backpacks line the hallways at Queen Elizabeth II Public School on the first day back to school. September 6, 2022. (File photo/Chelsea Papineau/CTV New Northern Ontario)

Drivers

In a news release on Friday, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reminded drivers to keep their eyes on the road and “not on (their) phone.”

Police said to watch for young people walking or biking to and from school and to be prepared for school buses to make frequent stops.

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The OPP offered the following tips to drivers for the as students return to class:

• Flashing yellow lights on a school bus means it is preparing to stop,
• red flashing lights and the stop arm extended mean you must stop,
• give school buses extra room on the roadway,
• slow down and use extra caution when traveling through school zones and
• watch for and obey crossing guards.

“Passing a stopped school bus, with its red lights flashing, puts young lives at risk and means a fine of $400 to $2,000 and six demerit points for a first offence,” said police.

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Parents

Police also reminded parents to remind their children about safety rules when it comes to getting on and off buses, or to always use sidewalks and crosswalks if they are available.

Social Media

“Those first-day pics are great to share with family and friends on social media, but criminals can use the opportunity to harvest information from these posts,” the OPP said.

Police provided the following tips to “play it safe” on social media:

• Remove any mention of a particular school
• Remove all age and grade information
• Ensure your privacy settings are set properly
• Ensure your posts are only being shared with friends you know

“Let's all accept the shared responsibility to make the beginning of the school year a safe and fun event,” said OPP regional media relations coordinator Bill Dickson.