Peterborough County OPP is reminding drivers, especially on Highway 7, that it is both unsafe and illegal to pass a stopped school bus when its red lights are flashing and its stop sign is extended.
Police have recently received multiple complaints from school bus drivers that drivers are passing stopped school buses while children are getting on and off the bus.
“No students have been injured but dangerous situations were created,” reads a police media release. “Drivers cannot start moving until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm has been retracted, and the bus has started to move.”
The requirement to stop applies to all vehicles travelling on all lanes of multi-lane highways that do not have a median between lanes, such as Highway 7.
“Highway 7 continues to be an area of concern in regards to vehicles passing school buses that have its red lights activated and stop sign extended,” the media release states.
Fines are $400 to $2,000, with six demerit points, for the first offence.
For each subsequent offence, fines rise to $1,000 to $4,000 with an additional six demerit points, with possible jail time of up to six months.
