About 100 motorists are ticketed yearly in Manitoba for ignoring school bus signals, according to data collected by Manitoba Public Insurance. Offending drivers receive a ticket of $673 and two demerits applied to their Driver Safety Rating.
School buses filled with students will soon be travelling on Manitoba roadways, signaling the beginning of another school year.
“School buses provide a key service to Manitoba students,” said Andrew Swan, minister Responsible for Manitoba Public Insurance. “Every school day more than 2,000 school buses transport more than 60,000 students. In total, that’s about 33 million kilometers in total school bus travel. Road safety is critical.”
In order to raise motorists’ awareness about school bus safety, Manitoba Public Insurance is launching a safety campaign next week. The corporation will also be consulting with school divisions and law enforcement on further measures to raise awareness and enhance enforcement of “Do Not Pass” laws.
“Young lives are put at risk daily due to motorists failing to observe the safety signals on the bus,” said MaryAnn Kempe, vice-president of Community and Corporate Relations, Manitoba Public Insurance. “Every day, school bus drivers witness motorists who ignore the signals.
“The message is clear: bus signals are designed to prevent deaths and injuries. Motorists need to be extra cautious when they come upon a school bus.”
School Bus Safety Rules
- Flashing yellow lights on the school bus indicate that the bus is getting ready to stop and load or unload. This means that you need to slow down and get ready to stop.
- Flashing red lights indicate that the bus has stopped and that children are getting on or off. It is illegal to pass a school bus from either direction once it’s stopped and has its lights activated. The only exception is when there is a physical barrier (such as a median) between your vehicle and the bus.
- As soon as the bus driver turns on the flashing red lights, drivers coming from both directions must immediately stop at least five metres from the bus and remain stopped until the lights stop flashing, the STOP arm folds away and the bus begins to move.
- Young children can become very excited when socializing with their friends. They sometimes act impulsively. Motorists must be very cautious when approaching a school bus.
