School buses don’t stop with their lights flashing just to inconvenience motorists.
The lights come on as a way of letting motorists know that children are getting on to the bus or getting off, and they should be aware of the kids and their sometimes spontaneous actions like running around.
On Friday, the Vernon and North Okanagan-Shuswap school districts will participate in Operation Safe Stop, which addresses the problem of motorists who illegally pass stopped school buses as children are loading and unloading.
“Our goal is to educate the motoring public about the importance of stopping for the flashing red lights of a school bus — please help to keep our kids safe,” said Robyn Stephenson, Vernon’s transportation manager.
And the task of keeping our children safe is significant when you look at the numbers.
In the North Okanagan-Shuswap, about 2,700 students use a school bus every day, while it’s 3,800 in the Vernon district.
That means bus drivers can’t possibly keep an eye on every child so assistance is required from motorists to ensure accidents don’t occur.
Do your part and become familiar with the rules around school buses loading and unloading.
And who knows, by doing so, you just may save the life of your child, grandkid or a neighbourhood friend.