Police crack down on drivers disobeying school bus lights
Posted Sep 17, 2014 01:55:04 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Halifax Regional Police caught five drivers in the last two days passing school buses with their red lights flashing.
All five of the drivers were caught in the area of Hammonds Plains Rd and Killarney Dr in Bedford — an area Const. Pierre Bourdages says is notorious for this.
“This specific area has four lanes of traffic, but there is no divider,” said Bourdages. “Motorists have to stop in all directions, every time a school bus is stopped with their lights flashing.”
Bourdages says it doesn’t matter how much of a rush you’re in, there is no excuse for breaking this law.
“These red lights are in place for one reason: the protection of the children taking the bus,” he said.
Bourdages says police will continue to slap drivers with “hefty” fines for breaking this law. A first offense will cost drivers $406.45, a second $693.95 and a third $1,268.95.
Eight school buses in the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board were recently equipped with cameras to catch impatient drivers who choose to ignore the flashing red lights.
Bourdages says it’s a great idea, and would be appreciated by police in Halifax.
“Any evidence is welcomed,” he said. “The more evidence we have, the better equipped we are to lay charges on individuals that choose not to respect these rules.”
Doug Hadley with the Halifax Regional School Board says that while there have been discussions about outfitting buses in Halifax with cameras, there are no set plans to install them yet.
