The Chatham-Kent Police Service is reminding residents that students will be returning to school on Tuesday, September 8, and that school buses will once again be travelling throughout the municipality as part of their regular routes.
As part of its continued commitment to student safety, the Chatham-Kent Police Service remains dedicated to the “Give Buses a Break” campaign and will be conducting enforcement and education initiatives along school bus routes across Chatham-Kent.
Officers will be monitoring traffic in areas where school buses frequently operate to ensure motorists are complying with the rules of the road and to help create a safe environment for students travelling to and from school.
Motorists are reminded that:
- It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus with its overhead red lights flashing and stop arm extended.
- Drivers approaching a stopped school bus from either direction on roads that are not divided by a physical median must stop and remain stopped until the bus resumes moving or the signals are deactivated.
- Extra caution should be exercised in school zones and residential neighbourhoods, particularly during morning and afternoon travel times.
- Students may cross the roadway unexpectedly or emerge from between parked vehicles.
School bus safety is a shared responsibility. Every driver has a role in protecting children and ensuring they arrive safely at school and return home at the end of the day.
The Chatham-Kent Police Service appreciates the cooperation of all motorists and encourages everyone to slow down, stay alert and “Give Buses a Break.”