Flashing red lights mean don’t pass the school bus
Drivers reminded of bus safety as new school year begins
Motorists passing a bus that’s dropping off students along busy sections of Cape Breton highways is a frustrating and potentially dangerous issue the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board is forced to deal with year after year.
“They are going through the red lights, particularly on roads where there are more than two lanes,” said Tara Gaskell, manager of transportation for the Cape Breton-Victoria board.
“They don’t believe they have to stop because it’s a four-lane highway. We have red light violations almost on a daily basis on Grand Lake Road.”
Running those red lights is by far the most common issue bus drivers in the school board will note as they are transporting some 6,300 students throughout the school year.
It can come with a hefty fine and six demerit points on a driver’s licence but several hundred violations are still reported each year, mostly on highways, but also on rural roads.
On the other side of the island, the Strait Regional School Board reported 54 red light violations during its 2015-16 school year as it moved about 6,000 students from home to school and back again. It’s a number they’d also like to see reduced.
“There are certain avenues or certain locations that have a higher volume of red light violations,” said Sherman England, director of operations for the Strait Regional School Board.
“One area is one of our main highways, which sees it. Another place is an urban centre where buses are seen more regularly. I think people start to become declimatized to the fact that the school bus is there with the lights on.”
Another shared issue between the boards happens in the parking lots of area schools.
“We have quite a few drop off and pickups by parents,” said Gaskell.
“We ask that parents just make sure they are not blocking traffic or the bus loops and that they drop the students off and move on fairly quickly. That’s the best advice we can provide.”
England wants parents to remember that bus loops are for buses only.
“It’s important for parents to follow our signing and do not violate the fact that it is for buses only,” he said.
“We are not allowed to use our lights in a bus loop so it’s important that these parents realize it and do not use loops.”
School Bus Safety Week will take place Oct. 16-20 this year and features a variety of educational components at the school level and in the media.
Education on school bus safety begins before then, though, for most age groups.
With the Strait board that means information on school bus evacuations and student bus safety program throughout
September.
“Oftentimes when students get out to the bus they are running late or they want to get there early and it becomes part of what they consider part of their playground,” said England.
“It’s important when at a bus stop they exercise care and caution and ensure they are visible so they are seen and can be seen when vehicle traffic does drive by.”
Gaskell asks drivers to watch out for students at all
times during the school year. “It’s very important that the public watches out for the students either if they are on the sidewalk or on or off the school bus,” she said.
“We have some very small children going to school now.
They start at four years old and, unfortunately, they may not have the impulse control some of the older students have. They see the bus and then they run.”