Sept. 5 officially kicks off the new school year and with that, Perth County Ontario Provincial Police have some reminders for the public.
The return to school brings with it a return of students walking, biking, and taking the bus to school, meaning busier roadways.
Additionally crossing guard locations will be in some areas.
Following is some tips from the OPP to keep things safe:
Crossing guard locations:
According to Section 176 of the Highway Traffic Act, your vehicle must be stopped until the crosswalk is clear.
- Where a school crossing guard displays a school crossing stop sign as provided in subsection (2), the driver of any vehicle or streetcar approaching the school crossing guard shall stop before reaching the crossing and shall remain stopped until all persons, including the school crossing guard, have cleared the roadway and it is safe to proceed.
Motorists who fail to stop for a school crossing guard stop sign face a fine of $365 and four demerit points.
School buses:
- Every driver or streetcar operator, when meeting on a highway, other than a highway with a median strip, a stopped school bus that has its overhead red signal-lights flashing, shall stop before reaching the bus and not proceed until the bus moves or the overhead lights have stopped flashing.
- When approaching a school bus from the rear that has its overhead signal-lights flashing shall stop at least 20 meters before reaching the bus and not proceed until the bus moves or the overhead lights have stopped flashing.
Motorists that don't stop for a stopped school bus face penalties including:
- First offence, the maximum fine is $2,000 and six demerit points.
- For each subsequent offence, the maximum fine is $4,000, or imprisonment, or both, and six demerit points.
- If the driver can't be identified, the registered owner of the vehicle observed in violation of the law may be charged with failing to stop for a stopped school bus.
