Essex County OPP Reminder of Bus Stop Laws

(ESSEX COUNTY, ON) – Essex County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) wants to remind the public of the laws for bus stop safety.

The Essex County OPP reminds drivers to watch for school buses stopped on the roadway with alternating red lights flashing. Under Section 175 of the Highway Traffic Act (HTA), drivers meeting a stopped school bus and drivers approaching a stopped school bus must stop:

• Every driver or street car operator, when meeting on a highway, other than a highway with a median strip, a stopped school bus that has its overhead red signal-lights flashing, shall stop before reaching the bus and not proceed until the bus moves or the overhead lights have stopped flashing.
• When approaching a school bus from the rear that has its overhead signal-lights flashing shall stop at least 20 meters before reaching the bus and not proceed until the bus moves or the overhead lights have stopped flashing.

Motorists that fail to stop for a stopped school bus face stiff penalties upon conviction. First offence, the maximum fine is $2,000 and 6 demerit points. For each subsequent offence, the maximum fine is $4,000, or imprisonment, or both, and 6 demerit points.

If the driver can't be identified, the registered owner of the vehicle observed in violation of the law may be charged with failing to stop for a stopped school bus.

For more information on school buses and school crossings, please visit: https://www.ontario.ca/document/official-mto-drivers-handbook/stopping.

The Essex County OPP will have enhanced high visibility patrols throughout the coming weeks to ensure drivers are following the rules of the road and exercising the appropriate level of caution and care.

Our children's safety is everyone's responsibility. Everyone using the roads needs to exercise vigilance, patience and understanding.  We ask you to please do your part to keep our children safe.

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Contact : Constable Chris Ciliska

Email : christopher.ciliska@opp.ca