Awareness campaign - BUSES HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!

LAVAL, QC, Nov. 22 /CNW Telbec/ - The police and public transit services in Greater Montréal are pooling their efforts to remind motorists of the importance of obeying the Highway Safety Code (R.S.Q., c. C-24.2), which stipulates that after buses have taken on or dropped off passengers, they have the right of way when they want to re-enter the lane in which they were travelling.

This campaign on courtesy at the wheel will run from November 22 to December 17, with "Céder le passage à l'autobus, la voie à suivre" as the theme, reminding motorists that giving buses the right of way is the right move.

The Société de transport de Laval (STL), the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL) will be promoting this campaign through signs posted on the back of the bus and on bus shelters as well as on their websites. The STL will also be displaying these same messages on the lighted variable message signs installed in Laval.

Motorists are sometimes unaware of the meaning of the pictogram posted on the bus. Here is a brief reminder of section 407 of the HIghway Safety Code, on which this pictogram is based:

HIGHWAY SAFETY CODE (R.S.Q., chapter C-24.2)

Section 407

On a public highway where the maximum speed allowed is less than 70 km/h, the driver of a road vehicle must yield the right of way to a bus when the driver of the bus is flashing his turn-signal lights for re-entering the lane in which he was moving before he stopped.

The obligation to yield the right of way applies only to drivers of road vehicles moving in the lane that the driver of the bus is about to re-enter.

The driver of a bus must not flash his turn-signal lights until he is about to re-enter the lane, after ascertaining that he can do so in safety.

For further information:

Marie-Céline Bourgault
Directrice communications et marketing
Société de transport de Laval
450 662-5429
[email protected]

Isabelle Tremblay
Conseillère corporative
Société de transport de Montréal
514 280-4940
[email protected]

Judith Boivin
Relationniste
Réseau de transport de Longueuil
450 442-8600, poste 8452
[email protected]

Module Relations médias
Division des communications
Service de police de la Ville de Montréal
514 280-2015