Keep children safe by reporting unsafe drivers

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON, Oct. 25 /CNW/ - Do you know what to do when a school bus is stopped and has its red lights flashing? Do you know it is illegal to pass that school bus? If you answered no, you're not alone.

Last year, Police in Sault Ste. Marie received 33 complaints of motorists unlawfully passing a school bus. Two motorists were charged. So far this year, there have been 15 complaints with one motorist charged.

Today, Sault Ste. Marie Police and CAA South Central Ontario conducted a traffic safety blitz targeting drivers who illegally pass school buses. Offenders received a safety lecture, a school bus safety card with tips on driving near school buses and a lesson on how to report unsafe drivers.

"Keeping our children safe has always been a priority with the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service," said Community Services Sergeant Lisa Kenopic, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service. "We look forward to working with our community partners to ensure that drivers in our community are aware of not only their legal obligations with respect to school buses, but also how this protects our children. While we remain ready to enforce the law, we hope we don't need to."

"Drivers can help keep children safe by doing two simple things," said Leslie Rocha, Community Relations Specialist, CAA South Central Ontario. "Stop every time you see a stopped school bus with red flashing lights and don't move until the red lights stop flashing and the bus driver begins to pull away."

The penalty for not stopping for a school bus is a fine of up to $2,000 and six demerit points. If you spot a driver who doesn't stop for a school bus, safely pull over and jot down the following:

• Location, date and time
• Make, model, colour and license plate
• Size of the bus (small or large)
• Children boarding or exiting the bus
• Driver passed from the front or from behind the bus

For over 80 years, CAA's School Safety Patrol program has been keeping children safe as they travel to and from school. More than 800,000 children in Ontario rely on school buses.

CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club offering insurance, travel, automotive care and roadside services. There are more than 1.8 million CAA members in South Central Ontario and 5 million members in Canada. We're more than Roadside Assistance. We're Life-side Assistance. Visit www.caasco.com.

For further information:

Media contact: Silvana Aceto, Media and PR Specialist, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone] or Jeff LeMoine, Internal/External PR Specialist, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone].