BARRHEAD - With school starting up again it's time to remind everyone about the illegal passing of stopped school buses on our roadways putting children's lives at risk.
In the fall of 2024, school board members were shocked to learn that in just two months of the school year, there were dozens of dangerous fly-by incidents.
By raising awareness, it is hoped there won't be a repeat of September 2024, when there was a threefold rise in fly-bys compared to the previous year.
“The number of fly-bys is a real concern,” said Shantelle Haitel, Pembina Hills School transportation director.
Haitel shared an incident which occurred last year at this time.
A driver was charged for a school bus fly-by, and he swore he had not committed the offence.
Upon reviewing the bus's camera footage, he was absolutely shaken to see his own recklessness.
A fly-by occurs when a driver ignores the red flashing lights and extended stop arm of a school bus and fails to stop as children are getting on or off the bus.
In September last year, there were 19 incidents, and a staggering 23 incidents in October.
The Pembina Hills School Division has responded to the growing risk and is using bus cameras and new safety measures.
Many buses are now equipped with extension arms that stretch out two meters.
The extension arms force drivers to go off the road to get around them if they choose not to stop for the bus while children are on the road.
Each arm costs $6,000, and officials consider them a necessity given the increase in reckless drivers.
Haitel recalled a terrifying incident where a driver smashed through an extension arm and kept going, showing no concern for the children on board.
The sound of the crash was so loud that it traumatized the children on the bus.
School trustees Sherry Allen and Maureen Schnirer pointed out that drivers in Edmonton can pass a bus, but in rural municipalities like Pembina Hills School Division, a driver must stop when a bus's lights are flashing.
The fine for a flyby is a steep $543.
The school division hands over camera footage to the RCMP for prosecution, and several drivers have been charged.
However, not all vehicles have visible license plates, which makes it harder to hold some drivers accountable.
The school board is now looking at installing more cameras to capture clear footage, and bus drivers are instructing children on when it's safe to cross.
It is so important for all of us to have that standard of care,” said Haitel.
“Especially through the winter, where there are too many other things like snow and ice that can make your vehicle react in a way that you don't expect.”
