Local police are reminding motorists to watch for more student traffic on foot, bike, and bus in the coming days.
Constable Shawn Peever with the Upper Ottawa Valley OPP lays out the law when approaching a school bus on the road with it’s safety lights activated.
On top of the standard red-flashing safety lights and equipment, local school busses will have new way to tell you when they’re picking up and dropping off this semester.
Constable Peever says to keep an eye out for amber safety lights mounted on top of busses, which will tell you when the bus is getting ready to drop-off or pick-up students.
Peever was also quick to remind us that failing to stop for a school bus comes with hefty fines and demerit points, plus possible jail time for repeat offenders.
When a school bus in front of you or on the other side of the road stops and turns on it’s safety lights, stop before reaching them and wait for the lights to turn off or the bus to start moving again before resuming your drive.
That rule extends to multi-lane roads, but does have one exception for roads with medians: a car on the opposite side of the median from a stopped bus does not have to stop as well.
Constable Peever notes that drivers worried about having to wait behind school busses as they makes stops should give themselves plenty of time for their commute.
(written by Kasey Egan)
