**OPP NEWS RELEASE**

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to remind the public that students are returning to school after being off for the summer break and that it is important for drivers to be extra vigilant and to pay attention to the flashing red lights and other safety equipment used on buses.
It is illegal to fail to stop for a stopped school bus that has its overhead red signal lights flashing. For a first time offence, you can be fined from $400 to $2,000 and have six demerit points added to your licence. In Ontario, school-bus drivers and other witnesses can report vehicles that have illegally passed a school bus. If you are the vehicle’s registered owner, these same fines may be applied to you.
The next time you are driving and see a school bus, give it space, ease off the gas, and remember that it could stop at any time. A moment’s inattention can bring devastating consequences.
If you witness a vehicle failing to stop for a school bus call police immediately. As motorists you have the responsibility to adhere to the rules of the road. Please STOP for flashing lights on school busses.

Filed under: Local News