Cars passing a stopped bus with school children on a double line, or SUVs speeding past a bus picking up kids; for Palliser Transportation Services supervisor Dave Shaw, it’s all too common in the city and county of Lethbridge.
“Whenever you see a bus stopped… and the red lights flashing it should be an indication that you need to stop,” he said.
Palliser Transportation Services installed cameras on its bus fleets four years ago and last year was the first time numbers of reported fly-bys went up. In 2014 there were 53 reported fly-bys. In 2015 that number jumped to 62.
“Last year we had 20 on-camera incidents, where we got a clear shot of the license plate and unfortunately those people got a ticket in the mail. They also followed out buses on several occasions last year and caught two people fly by past our buses and those people got the fine plus demerits,” Shaw said.
If drivers ignore a stopped bus they can face a $543 ticket. The City of Lethbridge is reminding drivers to slow down when passing any stopped school bus, remember the speed limit is 30 km/h in all school zones on school days, and if you’re in the county, motorists must stop behind buses when lights are flashing.
“Most important thing of watching the school buses on the side of the road… and really watching and passing with care and caution, because we never really know when a little one is going to run in front or behind the bus,” Teri Johnston with Lethbridge Transit said.
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Bus drivers do talk to their passengers about traffic safety, but according to Alberta Health Services, most kids under nine can’t judge how quickly a car is moving and they should have parents watching them.
“The kids should be standing three or four feet away from the bus, and stand back when the bus is passing,” said Karin Goodison, medical officer of health with AHS South Zone.
“Once they are off the bus, staying in a group and ensuring that they know the rules of the road when they are crossing and if they are too young they may have a parent come and meet them at the bus stop,” she said.
Cameras could also be coming to the City of Lethbridge bus fleet next year, to ensure safety precautions are being taken by both motorists and kids.
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