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School Bus
Transportation
Keeping Children Safe
Parents and Children
School authorities often find that parents in a hurry
can endanger the lives of children who are near the
school or in the schoolyard. When dropping off or
picking up a child at school:
• respect the areas reserved for school buses;
• stop your vehicle in the area designated by
the school;
• watch out for children around you;
• obey the speed limit;
• obey the specific traffic rules for
the schoolyard.
Since 1986, there have
been no deaths among
school-age children who
were on a school bus.
The greatest risk for children is outside the bus
and comes from the bus itself or from neighbouring
traffic. Here are the rules of conduct children
must follow. Remind them regularly.
On the way to school
At the bus stop
• Get to the bus stop in advance without running.
• Use the sidewalk when going to or coming from
the bus stop.
• If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the street,
facing traffic.
• Wait in line for the bus without pushing the other
students.
• Wait until the bus has come to a full stop before
approaching it.
• Get on the bus in single file, while holding the handrail
and without shoving.
• Go to your seat and sit down immediately.
On the bus
• Don’t disturb the driver.
• Remain seated and stay quiet.
• Keep your head and arms inside the bus.
• Don’t put anything in the aisle and put your things
away in your bag.
• Keep your bag with you or store it under the seat.
• Do not throw anything inside or outside the bus.
Getting off the bus
It’s dangerous to stay too close to the bus:
• Wait until the bus comes to a full stop before leaving
your seat.
• Get off the bus in single file, without pushing and
while holding onto the handrail.
• Move away from the bus quickly and
never go behind the bus.
• Tell the driver when an object has fallen
under the bus or near the wheels.
If you can’t speak to the driver,
ask an adult for help or wait until
the bus has moved away before
picking up the object.
CAUTION!
Danger zone!
Crossing the street
• Take ten steps after leaving the bus before
crossing, so that you can see the driver and
the driver can also see you.
• Make eye contact with the bus driver before you
cross the street.
• Walk in front of the bus, then look left and right,
then left again, before crossing. *
• Cross quickly but without running. *
note
note
Follow the
10-step rule!
* You must also follow these rules when the crossing
control arm is in use.
note
Drivers, Be Careful!
Pay attention to what
is happening around you
It’s yellow...
prepare to stop
Obey traffic signs and the speed limit when near school buses
and schools. School buses may prevent you from seeing children,
pedestrians and cyclists.
School bus drivers must signal ahead of time their intention to stop
in order to let school children get on or off the bus. They do this to
slow down oncoming traffic and vehicles behind the school bus.
The advance warning helps avoid sudden braking or acceleration.
School zone or a crosswalk
for school children ahead
repare to stop when the school bus turns on its yellow
1. Pwarning
lights or its hazard lights.
ring your vehicle to a full stop at least five metres away
2.Bfrom
the bus when its flashing red lights and its stop
sign are in operation.
Beginning of a school zone
Another sign indicates the periods
during which a lower speed limit applies
in the school zone.
School crosswalk
You must yield the right of way to
pedestrians who have entered the crosswalk.
School bus stop ahead
This sign lets you know that a school bus
may have stopped ahead to take on
or let off school children.
Beware!
Passing a school bus in either direction when its flashing
RED lights are operating results in a fine of $200 to $300
and 9 demerit points.
However, it is not mandatory to stop when driving
towards a school bus that is in a lane separated from
yours by a median.
Why no seat belts?
School buses are designed with many passenger protection
mechanisms: a compartmentalization system consisting of
high-back, energy-absorbing, deformable seats located close
together, a heavy-duty chassis, side impact bars, and a raised
floor that places the passengers above the point of impact.
They are safe even without seatbelts.
Tests have shown that school bus seat belts could actually
make children less safe because:
• they cannot be adjusted to protect children properly;
• they require rigid seats that are less shock absorbent.
For more information, go to the Transport Canada website.
Driving a bus
School bus drivers must hold a Class 2 or 4B driver’s licence
and obtain a certificate of competence, which must be
renewed every three years.
Bus drivers have many responsibilities. In addition to
completing several routes a day with a bus filled with school
children, they must:
• obey road signs, traffic signals and traffic rules, and comply
with the requirements of the Highway Safety Code and all
regulations related to driving a heavy vehicle;
• conduct an inspection (circle check) of the vehicle;
• ensure the safety of passengers both inside and
outside the bus at all times;
• maintain discipline;
• follow routes and schedules determined by
the school board.
This is not always an easy job. If your child reports a
problem on the bus, contact the school authorities or the
person in charge of school bus transportation at the school
board. They are in the best position to deal with the
situation.
C-6046-A (16-08)
Original text in French