Central Okanagan Public Schools are reminding the public how to drive around buses in a school zone, in honour of National Bus Safety Week.

Passing a bus school bus is stopped with flashing red lights can endanger children and strong penalties can be carried out. 鈥淲e stop, you stop,鈥� is the general rule of thumb, meaning traffic in both directions must stop for the school bus when the red alternating lights are flashing and stop signs are extended. The penalty for failing to stop for a school bus is a $368 fine with escalating penalties.

鈥淓ach day, our bus drivers report motorists who ignore the stop signs and flashing red lights on the school bus,鈥� says Central Okanagan Public Schools transportation manager Gail Prokopchuk. 鈥淲e need to raise public awareness in the Central Okanagan because this behaviour needlessly risks the lives of children.鈥�

The third week of every October is National Bus Safety Week, which is an educational program to remind the public of the importance of safety around school buses.

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