School buses return (editorial)

London Community News

With children returning to classes this week, drivers need to adjust their habit accordingly. After issuing more than 400 Provincial Offence Notices to drivers who did not properly stop at stop signs recently, police are asking motorists to stay vigilant on the roads. Police are reporting 428 notices related to stop sign violations were handed out in August, mostly in densely populated residential areas where primary and secondary schools are located. Sgt. Ryan Scrivens of the London Police Service’s traffic management unit said officers were encouraged to keep an eye on intersections in such neighbourhoods in marked and unmarked vehicles, as well as foot patrols were used to carry out the enforcement campaign. He added police will step up their monitoring activities this month to include school zones and officers will be targeting anyone driving aggressively or while distracted. With students returning to neighbourhood sidewalks and crosswalks this fall, police are going to be looking for anyone who is speeding, using a handheld device while driving or motorists who fail to stop when a school bus has its lights flashing and “stop arm” extended, Scrivens said. Here are a few tips to keep everyone safe: • Reduce your speed and always keep a safe distance behind school buses as they make frequent stops. • Always stop for pedestrians at crosswalks and school crossings and obey crossing guards at all times.