Local police services are reminding the public that with the first day of school approaching, school buses will be back on the roads and community safety zones will be in effect.
The North Bay Detachment of the OPP reminds motorists to give themselves plenty of time to get to their destination due to the usual increase of pedestrians and cyclists that comes with back to school time.
The North Bay Police Service says it is time for drivers to prepare for the flashing lights of the school bus and to be mindful of the safety of our children walking to school. Community Safety Zones will come back into effect, lowering the speed limit and doubling the fines.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Vehicle owners can be charged if their vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus, even if they weren’t driving.
In accordance with the Highway Traffic Act, motorists encountering a stopped school bus that has its overhead red signal-lights flashing shall stop before reaching the bus and shall not proceed until the bus moves or the overhead red signal-lights have stopped flashing. The minimum fine for failing to stop for a school bus is $400 and six demerit points. This applies whether you are meeting or following a school bus, and includes multi-lane roads such as Lakeshore Drive, Trout Lake Road or McKeown Avenue. The only exception is when driving on a road with a median – traffic coming from the opposite direction is not required to stop.
Motorists should also be prepared to yield to student pedestrians and cyclists. Parents of students who will be walking or cycling to school are encouraged to speak with their children about the rules of the road that apply to them.
Drivers are encouraged to:
- Take extra care when driving by parked cars.
- Be aware of school zones and reduce your speed.
- Travel through intersections slowly.
- Be patient as children cross the road.
- Obey crossing guard instructions.
- Make eye contact with the children wanting to cross at the intersection.
- Obey all bus signals and never try to pass when they are stopped.
- Give yourself extra travel time.
When crossing the road, students are encouraged to:
- Look both ways before crossing.
- Be aware of traffic by seeing and listening.
- Walk, don’t run.
- When possible, cross at a location where there is a crossing guard, or with a parent or a buddy.
- When biking, always follow the rules of the road and wear proper safety equipment.
