Ontario school buses equipped with new lighting system to stop drivers this fall
School buses may be parked for the summer, but come fall, they will be equipped with a new lighting system to catch drivers' attention.
Ontario is the last province to get on board with the new amber-red warning lights for student safety.
"Drivers will now see an amber light which will give them a clear warning that a bus is about to stop," said school bus driver Owen Wass.
A red light will follow the amber light notifying drivers to stop and wait for the bus to let a student on or off.
It's estimated that 30,000 drivers illegally pass a school bus every day.
Kim Malkamaki with the Simcoe County Transportation Consortium said there have been "long-standing safety priorities" with school bus operators and consortia across Canada.
"This will basically align school buses in Ontario with the lighting requirements that are in use throughout the rest of Canada," Malkamaki noted.
Between September 2013 and the spring of 2018, 385 bus-related injuries were reported in Ontario. No deaths were reported during those five years.
However, in 2000, five-year-old Adam Ranger was struck and killed while getting off the bus in Mattawa, Ont. when a truck with a trailer tried to pass his stopped school bus. The truck swerved and missed the child, but the trailer did not.
Following his death, the Let's Remember Adam campaign was launched and has been instrumental in pushing for change.
Bill 246 came into effect on July 1, requiring school buses to be equipped with the amber-red dual lamp warning system by September.
Drivers who illegally pass a school bus face a hefty fine and six demerit points.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.