From now until May 18th drivers can expect to see an increased OPP presence around highway bus routes in the North Bay area.
Provincial Police have started a ‘focus patrol’ to enforce speeding vehicles during school bus hours and those not obeying the red overhead lights on school buses.
Staff Sergeant Chris Summersby, Detachment Commander of the North Bay OPP, advises that “Our goal is to reduce the number of traffic complaints involving vehicles that fail to stop for a school bus with the red overhead lights activated. Continued analysis indicates there have been a total of 125 incidents involving school bus complaints and violations over the past 5 years. May is one of the months that we receive the highest number of complaints throughout the year, at 15.2% of all calls.”
Police say that motorists traveling in both directions must stop for a stopped school bus that has its overhead red signal-lights flashing and stop sign on the side of the bus extended.
Drivers are not to proceed until the lights on the school bus have stopped flashing.
Vehicle owners can now be charged if their vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus, regardless of who is driving the vehicle at the time.
Penalties include fines from $400 to $4000 and six demerit points upon conviction.

Filed under: OPP, school buses