‘Those two minutes could change their life’: Impatient Halifax drivers are speeding past stopped school buses

HALIFAX, N.S. — Red lights flashing, stop sign out, front gate extended — it’s hard to imagine there is anything more school bus operators can do to stop drivers from zipping past.

It’s something school bus drivers see everyday — it’s frustrating, anxiety-producing and scary.

“You blow the horn and a lot of times people will just wave or they’ll look at you like a deer in the headlights, like ‘what am I doing wrong?’ They just don’t get it,” said Linda Oakey, who has been driving school buses for 15 years in HRM.

The province and the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) have started a pilot project where some buses are receiving updated equipment, including a new illuminated SCHOOL BUS sign above the windshield and/or a new stop sign with more lights. These features are sold by a Winnipeg-based company called First Light Safety.

“In October, there were 203 recorded red-light violations on HRCE routes,” said Lindsey Bunin, HRCE communications officer.

“The areas that are being focused on for the pilot include peninsula Halifax and Bedford. Three buses will be outfitted with the additional lights, one with each bus provider in HRCE. There is no cost to HRCE to participate in the pilot.”

If you think you’ve seen school buses out there with new equipment on them … you’re right!

Our Motor Carrier Division is conducting a pilot project to test out illuminated ‘School Bus’ signs, and stop arms with LED lighting.

We hope better visibility leads to a safer ride. pic.twitter.com/IZwta0Vmtg

— Department of Public Works (@NS_PublicWorks) November 6, 2023

Many drivers are fed up with vehicles constantly passing a stopped or recently departed school bus.

RCMP reported that on Dec. 14 at 2:45 p.m., a Cadillac Escalade struck a child who was crossing behind a departing school bus on Fringe Drive in Middle Sackville.

The child was assessed by paramedics and didn’t suffer physical injuries, RCMP reported. RCMP didn’t charge the driver.

Giving up on reporting red light runners

Another experienced school bus driver who didn’t want a name published said many drivers are getting discouraged and not calling in “the red light runners” anymore because of inaction by police.

The driver said there are three spots on the route that they call into their dispatch just about every day and the driver has yet to see one police officer monitoring it. 

“We are required to use our reds when picking up at schools that don’t have a designated bus loop. I have had teachers and principals go through my lights,” said the driver.

“It’s dangerous and also hard on the morale of drivers. You just feel invisible and unimportant.”

Oakey said she sees red light violations daily.

“As a matter of fact, I had two this morning: one on the Old Sambro Road and one right in front of John W. MacLeod School,” she said. “That’s a bad spot there (at the school), they’re passing us there frequently.”

That school is on Purcells Cove Road in Halifax.

Drivers are mostly just not paying attention, she said, or in a hurry.

“They don’t realize that it just takes two minutes, three minutes tops to let a student off and then they can be merrily on their way,” she said. “Those two minutes could change their life and, if they hit a child, everybody’s life traumatically.”

Plus, kids get off the bus and run across the street to get home and they’re not looking for cars, Oakey said. She’s seen several near misses, particularly when older kids cross at the back of the bus where they’re not supposed to.

The police response to red light violations

Halifax Regional Police Const. John MacLeod said they take these incidents seriously “given the danger it presents to children attending school and understand why the public finds this behaviour concerning.”

He said police proactively look for violations throughout the year with a particular focus at the beginning of the school semesters, and also respond to violations that have been reported to us from the public.

He said there were 26 summary offence tickets between Sept. 1 and Nov. 5, 2023. These offences carry a fine of $410 for a first offence, $697.50 for a second offence and $1,271.50 for offences after that.

RCMP Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay said RCMP officers also proactively watch for school bus and school zone violations as well as investigate reported incidents.

He said that drivers can also be charged for passing a school bus with amber warning lights flashing with a fine of $295.

Halifax District RCMP reported the number of proactive assignments to specific schools were 452, with 76 foot patrols in September to October this year.

In September to October 2022, RCMP issued two tickets for drivers who didn’t stop for a school bus with red lights. In September to October 2023, that number was zero. No amber light tickets were issued for those months this year or last year.

Oakey said she will report red light violations if she can get a licence plate number but the problem is 90 per cent of the time, vehicles are coming toward the bus and the plates are on the back.

She said doesn’t think the pilot project will do much to make a difference. What will really work is more public awareness, more fines and more police presence, she said.

How to report a red light violation to HRP

MacLeod said he encourages anyone who sees a vehicle fail to stop for school buses to report it to police by calling 902-490-5020 and provide the following information if possible:

• Location date and time of the offence.
• Direction of travel of the suspect vehicle.
• License plate, description of the vehicle.
• Description of the driver.