LANGS
Bus Lines Limited
School Bus Stopping Law
Regardless of the posted speed limit, traffic in both directions must
STOP
when a chrome yellow school bus is stopped with its overhead red signal lights flashing front and rear.
As a motorist...
...you must drive with extra care whenever you see a school bus in front of you or coming towards you. Remember, if the overhead alternating red
signal lights are flashing, traffic in both directions must be prepared to come to a stop when the bus stops and the stop arm comes out.
Conviction for failure to stop when required carries the following penalties:
- for a first offence, a fine of $400 to $2,000 and six demerit points;
- for each subsequent offence, a fine of $1,000 to $4,000 and six demerit points, and possibly imprisonment for up to six months.
As a parent...
...you should remind your children to be extra careful when getting on and off the school bus. Always have them take a second look for traffic before
crossing the road.
Also, remind your children to follow the school bus safety rules learned at school. Encourage them to help the driver keep his/her attention on the driving task. The children can do this by behaving themselves, being as quiet as possible and remaining seated, facing front, until it is time to get off the bus.
The school bus stopping law
The law applies everywhere, regardless of the posted speed limit - on highways, country roads, city, town or village streets. Motorists meeting a stopped school bus with the overhead alternating red signal lights flashing must stop unless they are on a highway divided by a median strip (a median strip is the portion of a highway so constructed as to separate traffic travelling in one direction from traffic travelling in the opposite direction --- a median strip is a physical barrier or a raised or depressed paved or unpaved separation area that is not intended to allow crossing vehicular movement).
Motorists, on any highway, overtaking a stopped school bus with its overhead alternating red signal lights flashing must always stop at least 20 metres before reaching the bus. In both cases, motorists may not proceed until the bus resumes motion or the red signal lights have stopped flashing.
TWO-LANE HIGHWAY OR STREET - vehicles in both directions must stop.
MULTI-LANE HIGHWAY WITH MEDIAN STRIP - only vehicles behind must stop.
How do you know it's a school bus?
SCHOOL BUSES CAN BE ANY SIZE
A school bus is defined as a chrome yellow bus that displays on the front and rear the words "SCHOOL BUS", and on the rear the words "DO NOT PASS WHEN SIGNALS FLASHING".
No motor vehicle other than a school bus can be painted chrome yellow or bear the words "DO NOT PASS WHEN SIGNALS FLASHING" or "SCHOOL BUS".
School buses may be carrying children or adults with developmental handicaps, and can be on the road at any time of the day or night.
School bus safety is everybody's responsibility.
Source: Ontario Ministry of Transportation