Keep children safe by reporting unsafe drivers

HAMILTON, ON, Oct. 27 /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, Hamilton Police sent out 45 warning letters to drivers for failing to stop for a school bus.

Today, Hamilton 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 Hamilton Police Service," said Deputy Chief Eric Grit, Hamilton Police Service. "We look forward to working with our community partners to ensure that drivers in our community are aware not only of 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.

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]