Barrie police identify 9 'hot spots' that will have heightened enforcement for back to school
As the first day of school approaches, the anticipation among most students and parents is palpable, and with the buzz of excitement in the air, police are gearing up to ensure the safety of everyone.
Barrie police identified nine key locations, designated as hot spots, within the city that will receive heightened enforcement to kick off the new school year:
- Bayview Drive and Mapleview Drive
- Town Line Road and Muirfield Drive
- Essa Road and Byrne Drive
- Essa Road and Tiffin Street
- Dunlop Street and Ferndale Drive
- Dunlop Street and Cedar Pointe Drive
- Dunlop Street and Anne Street
- Grove Street and St. Vincent Street
- Bayfield Street and Livingstone Street
The proactive approach is intended to deter reckless driving and encourage responsible road behaviour.
Bill Hamilton has been driving a school bus in Simcoe County for over a decade and reminds motorists he's carrying precious cargo.
"I need them to keep their face out of their cell phone, keep their eyes straight ahead. Watch out for the kids, and let's all keep them safe," Hamilton said.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local news updates sent to your inbox
Starting Tuesday, 675 school buses will hit the roads in Simcoe County with 38,000 students on board.
"During the summer months, we have trained about 750 bus drivers in all various aspects of driving and various things that take place on the road," said Kim Malkamaki, CEO and general manager of the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium.
For students and their parents, the start of the school year means returning to routine.
"They are a little nervous," said mother of two, Chelsey Ridley. "You know, making sure that they have their friends and that kind of stuff, so I'm just making sure they have everything they need."
Police remind motorists there will be zero leniency for reckless behaviour on the roads this fall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

'No one else has done this on the planet': Guilbeault insists emissions cap delay is due to novelty
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault says the delay in announcing details of his government’s proposed oil and gas sector emissions cap is due to its uniqueness and to wanting to get it right.
B.C. Amber Alert cancelled, 2-month-old child found safe
Mounties in Surrey, B.C., say the two-month-old child who was the subject of an Amber Alert Saturday afternoon has been found safe.
Minnesota grocery store clerk dies after customer impales him with a golf club, police say
A Minneapolis store clerk died after a customer beat him and impaled him with a golf club, police said. The 66-year-old clerk was attacked Friday at the Oak Grove Grocery, a small neighborhood store in a residential area near downtown Minneapolis. A 44-year-old suspect is jailed on suspicion of murder.
6 dead, nearly 2 dozen injured after severe storms tear through central Tennessee
Severe storms that tore through central Tennessee killed six people Saturday and sent about two dozen to the hospital as homes and businesses were damaged in multiple cities.
Ohtani cashes in as fans in Japan wait for him to deliver more goods and play in a World Series
Now that Shohei Ohtani has his money -- a record $700 million, 10-year contact with the Los Angeles Dodgers -- some fans in Japan are waiting for one more thing to complete the deal.
Heavy fighting across Gaza as Israel presses ahead with renewed US military and diplomatic support
Heavy fighting raged overnight and into Sunday across Gaza, including in the devastated north, as Israel pressed ahead with its offensive after the U.S. blocked the latest international push for a ceasefire and rushed more munitions to its close ally.
Elon Musk restores X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones
Elon Musk has restored the X account of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, pointing to a poll on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that came out in favour of the Infowars host who repeatedly called the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax.
At COP28, sticking points remain on fossil fuels and adapting to climate as talks near crunch time
Negotiators have been urged to narrow down their options so they can agree on how to save Earth from disastrous levels of warming and help vulnerable societies adapt to weather extremes as the clock runs down on United Nations climate talks.
Ibrahim Ali found guilty of killing 13-year-old girl in B.C.
A jury has found Ibrahim Ali guilty of killing a 13-year-old girl whose body was found in a Burnaby, B.C., park in 2017.