School buses will be hitting the roads this week for another school year and it’s important for motorists to be reminded.
Starting the first week of September throughout the rest of the year, it might not hurt to adjust your morning commute schedule to ensure you have extra time if you encounter traffic congestion due to school bus stops!
Even though speed limits don’t change when students are being picked up from bus stops (except for in school zones), it’s always important to be courteous and reduce your speed for students who will be waiting along numerous side streets for buses.
When you see a school bus slowing down with amber lights flashing, this indicates the school bus is preparing to stop, to either pick up or drop off students.
When school buses display their flashing red lights this means the bus is stopped to either pick up or drop off students.
In most cases bus drivers need to wait until the students are on board and seated before departing the stop. This may cause some traffic congestion but is important to ensure the safety of the students on board.
It’s also important to not only keep your eyes on the school bus but the surrounding areas in which students may be walking to board or depart the school bus.
•🛑 Red lights mean, All directions must stop! (Unless the bus is on the other side of a median or on the other side of a multi lane highway)
• 🟠 Amber lights mean, Slow down the bus is about to stop!
It is illegal in Nova Scotia to pass a school bus with flashing lights and this can be extremely dangerous for students and other vehicles in the area.
While these simple facts about school buses seem basic, drivers deal with motorists failing to yield and putting the lives of students in danger.
There are some really good tips for school bus safety located below for parents ⤵️
https://www.schoolbussafety.ca/parents
Good luck to all those on their first day back to school!
Adrian J.
