Adam Prudhomme
Editor
School buses will be out in full force on roads across Lennox and Addington Tuesday as the start of another school year gets underway.
So too will L&A OPP officers, keeping a close eye on school zones to make certain drivers are following the rules to ensure the safety of all students.
New this year, all school buses will have a new lighting system to warn drivers when they are coming to a stop in the middle of a road to pick up or drop off a student.
“The bus driver will activate yellow cautionary lights as they are coming to a stop,” explains L&A OPP traffic management officer Scott Woodburn, noting they will differ from previous years when the lights flashed red as the bus was still moving but slowly coming to a stop. “Once they come to a stop then they will activate the flashing red lights and the stop arm will come out. That indicates they are now fully stopped and either loading or unloading students.”
Drivers are reminded that it’s not only the vehicles behind the bus that has to keep an eye on the lights.
“Traffic is required on a two lane highway or undivided highway, on both directions to come to a complete stop while the red lights and stop arm are activated on the school bus,” said Woodburn. “Failure to do so is a $400 fine, total payable will be $495 and six demerit points on your driver’s license.”
Starting next week there will also be an increase in the number of foot traffic in and around school zones.
“Our crossing guards are going to be out within the various municipalities,” said Woodburn. “Crossing guards will have the stop paddle. When they select the break in traffic they are on the roadway with the stop paddle extended, drivers must come to a complete stop in both directions while the crossing guard is on the roadway. Failure to do so is a $300 fine, $365 total payable with four demerit points lost for failure to do so.”
Motorists must wait until everyone in the crosswalk has reached the other curb before they proceed.
Parents are reminded that now is a good time to go over traffic safety with their kids as well as they too may need a refresher as the new school year begins.
The OPP encourages motorists to plan ahead and leave extra time to get where they’re going now that school is back in session.