School Bus Stopping Law: Special Enforcement Program 2

The following information is designed to provide school bus safety stakeholders with additional programming options for influencing motorist behavior around school buses.
School vehicle safety and the enforcement of Ontario's School Bus Stopping Law continue to be road safety priorities. Under the Highway Traffic Act, motorists are required to stop when meeting a stopped school bus which has its overhead signal-lights flashing and stop arm extended. The penalties for not stopping for a stopped school bus that has its overhead lights flashing and stop arm extended were doubled in 1997, and are among the most severe under the Highway Traffic Act: a fine of $400 to $2000 and the assessment of six demerit points. For a second conviction, the fine is $1000 to $4000 and the assessment of six demerit points and a possible jail term.
With little research into the actual incidence of illegal passing of school buses, anecdotal observation indicates that the problem is more widespread than the research has shown. To counter the problem, a number of communities have implemented awareness and enforcement programs. A successful program in Hamilton Wentworth (information is available elsewhere in this guide) encourages school vehicle drivers and other witnesses to report when they observe illegal passing of school buses. Such a program can have educational benefits, as well as improving compliance.
One by-product of such a program is the identification of school vehicle routes or locations where infractions occur more readily.
If such locations or routes are identified, additional selective enforcement programs can be implemented.
Thunder Bay has implemented a school bus enforcement program to deal with illegal school vehicle passing which involves the use of a police officer on the school vehicle and an unmarked police cruiser.
Who ... is it for?
"Operation Bus Watch" provides school bus drivers, school bus operators, parent groups and the local police with an approach to deal effectively with the problem of people who do not stop as required under the "School Bus Stopping Law".
How ... Does it Work?
A police officer rides on the regular route of a school vehicle for the morning or afternoon run. The police officer is in radio contact with a partner in an unmarked police vehicle.
When the police officer on the school bus observes the illegal passing of a school vehicle which has its overhead lights flashing and stop arm extended the police officer notes the description of the offending vehicle, and if possible, of the driver. The police officer in the school bus then contacts the police officer in the unmarked cruiser. That police officer then stops the motorist who committed the offence.
Police report that this type of enforcement program is labor-intensive. However, because the timing of the program corresponds to the times when school buses are carrying passengers, police report that the scheduling does not conflict with the times when police enforcement is at its most critical elsewhere. Should a more immediate need arise, the police abort the school vehicle enforcement program.
This type of program is most effective on routes or at locations which have been identified through other means, as being "high risk". If witnesses have identified motor vehicles which have repeatedly passed stopped school buses, it makes sense to target enforcement. Another advantage of this program is that the "witness" component is taken over by police, who are both trained to note relevant details to improve the success of the enforcement and who take over this responsibility from the school vehicle driver, leaving the driver to concentrate on the responsibility of driving the bus.
When ... Does it happen?
The program can be implemented and scheduled at any time. The actual enforcement corresponds to the morning or afternoon runs of the school buses. Police note that the program is not implemented when other known pressures restrict available police resources, including special events, inclement weather, etc,
The program has the advantage of being completely flexible in its timing.
Where ... does the program take place?
The program can be implemented on just about any school bus route where problems with illegal passing have been identified.
Why?
School bus safety continues to be a high priority issue. The illegal passing of school buses which have stopped to pick up or discharge passengers continues to be an issue of concern for school bus drivers, parents, education officials and school bus service providers