The West Region of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has called attention to a sharp rise in recent incidents involving school buses.
Police say that within the past 30 days, the OPP has responded to at least nine crashes involving school buses across southwestern Ontario. Fortunately, no students or bus drivers were injured.
"School bus travel is extremely safe," said OPP Sergeant Ed Sanchuk. "Every school day in Ontario, over 800,000 students are transported in school buses that travel 1.9-million kilometres. They're one of the safest forms of transportation, but safety doesn't happen by accident. It takes awareness, responsibility, and teamwork from everyone, drivers, students, parents, and the community."
The OPP has provided tips to ensure that everyone involved is safe around school buses.
Parents should teach their children to stay alert near roads. They should always wait for the bus to come to a full stop, use handrails when boarding, and always cross the street in front of the bus and not behind it.
Students should never push or run when getting on or off, and always listen to and obey the driver. Stay seated and avoid distractions.
Drivers are reminded that it is a crime to intentionally drive around a stopped school bus with its red lights activated and its stop sign in an extended position. Patience is expected, as that pause could save someone's life.
Complete information about school bus safety can be found on the webpage of the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.