What You Should Know About School Bus Stop-Arm Cameras and Safety

August 31, 2021, Kitchener, Ontario

Posted by: Robert Deutschmann, Personal Injury Lawyer

One of the most tragic kinds of accidents we see is those involving children and school buses. We transport 833,000 children daily to and from school according to the Ontario School Bus Association. School buses are considered the safest way to transport children to and from school. They are highly regulated, drivers well trained, and the buses are designed for safety.

Children are at risk

The problem is usually other drivers who either hit the bus or who hit the children loading or off-loading the school bus. They are painted a standard colour in North America – school bus yellow. They come with flashing lights at the front and rear of the bus and are equipped with a stop sign on anarm that swings out to advise traffic to stop.

Drivers are breaking the law

Drivers are required by law to stop in both directions until the bus has closed the arm and the lights are no longer flashing. The laws throughout Canada and the USA recognize that passing a stopped school bus is one of the most serious driving offences with high fines, and high points being allocated to anyone caught. The danger to children is extreme particularly in rural areas where traffic moves at high rates of speed. These ‘blow by’ incidents occur 30,000 times a day in Ontario according to driver, witness and police reports.

What can we do?

In an attempt to combat the illegal passing of stopped school buses and the extreme danger that this practice poses to children, stop-arm cameras are now being installed on school buses. Data has shown that they help.

These camera systems record drivers/cars who speed past stopped school buses and Ontario is adopting new legislation that allows these recordings to be used as evidence in court. Previously witnesses would be required in court to support any allegations. The owner of the vehicle will be assigned penalties regardless of who is driving.

This high-tech solution will allow drivers to be caught and fined for their actions.

What is the penalty for passing a stopped school bus?

• First offence - immediate fine of $400-$2000 and 6 demerit points
• Subsequent offences – fine of $1000-$4000 with an additional 6 demerit points and the possibility of jail time

What should you do if your loved one is injured in a school bus accident?

If you witness someone pass a stopped school bus call 911 and report them to the police. If you or a loved one is injured in a school bus accident contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at our office for a free initial consultation.

About Deutschmann Law

Deutschmann Law serves South-Western Ontario with offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, Woodstock, Brantford, Stratford and Ayr. The law practice of Robert Deutschmann focuses almost exclusively in personal injury and disability insurance matters. For more information, please visit www.deutschmannlaw.com or call us at 1-519-742-7774.

It is important that you review your accident benefit file with one of our experienced personal injury / car accident lawyers to ensure that you obtain access to all your benefits which include, but are limited to, things like physiotherapy, income replacement benefits, vocational retraining and home modifications.