School boards and the provincial government have launched a new campaign to keep children safe by reminding Islanders to stop for school buses.
This week, during School Safety Week, bumper stickers are being placed on 328 school buses advising drivers that if they pass a school bus when the red lights flash, they can pay a fine of up to $5,000 and lose eight points from their driver’s license.
School bus drivers are also urging the public through the media not to let their busy lives endanger the safety of children and to report drivers who break the law.
Education Minister Mildred Dover said that each weekday in Prince Edward Island, approximately 20,000 students ride the school bus, which statistics show is one of the safest forms of public transportation. “Our school bus drivers have an excellent safety record and they take their responsibility to keep children safe very seriously,” she said. “But they can’t do it alone. It is up to all of us to stop when we near a school bus with its red lights flashing because that means the bus is loading or unloading children.”
Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea advised that, under the Highway Traffic Act, the bus driver signals motorists that the school bus will soon be stopping by activating the amber lights. Drivers should then prepare to stop to prevent passing when the red lights are flashing. When the bus stops and the driver opens the bus door, the red lights and the side stop arms are automatically activated. “When a school bus is stopped and the red lights are flashing, traffic from both directions must come to a complete stop and remain stopped until the lights go off,” said Shea. “Passing the bus when children are loading or unloading is dangerous, illegal and unacceptable.”
Last year, the RCMP and local police received over 80 written reports of drivers who passed a school bus when the red lights were flashing. School bus driver Davis Ward said bus drivers are extremely discouraged when they see a car pull out and pass when little children are getting on or off the bus. “These people are putting children in serious danger. They are also breaking the law and we urge the public to help us keep kids safe by reporting their license plate number or, at least, a good description of their vehicle. Together, we can make a difference,” he said.
The new bumper stickers are being placed on all school buses in the three school boards in English and in French.
Since the Highway Traffic Act was strengthened in 2002, the fine for illegally passing a school bus increased significantly. The number of convictions since then for such offences has nearly doubled.