THUNDER BAY – Over a two-month stretch last year, Laura Jefford says she caught at least a dozen drivers ignoring the stop sign on her school bus.
Sensing the students whose safety she was in charge of were in danger, she went to Thunder Bay Police to seek a solution.
The answer was to strap a Go Pro on her bus to record the scofflaws and catch them in the act.
“Hopefully it catches people and deters people, knowing we have this camera and this program to make them stop, slow down and watch for children and their safety,” said Jefford, who has taken an extra step of her own, purchasing a dashboard camera to record offenders when police assistance isn’t available. She’s also not above whipping out her cell phone while safely stopped to catch drivers ignoring the flashing lights and stop sign.
The rule of the road is clear. When a school bus stops, turns on the light and extends the stop sign on the driver side of the vehicle, drivers in both directions must stop and wait for the bus to begin rolling again once the children getting off are safely off the road.
“A lot of people through the week, they’re busy, their minds are occupied and they’re not concentrating on where they have to go, what they have to do. A lot of people just don’t pay attention or figure they’re going to speed up and go through it,” Jefford said.
“The danger is our children getting hurt or run over.”
Acting traffic Sgt. John Toneguzzi said the camera is way to assist police following up on complaints of drivers ignoring school-bus laws.
“It’s an ongoing issue,” he said. “We’re seeing a number of complaints from the school-bus drivers. It doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all. We’re hoping more media on this may help people understand when a bus is stopped and has its lights on, you have to stop in both directions.”
It’s a hefty fine, Toneguzzi added, noting the fine is $490 and costs drivers six demerit points.
Remember, he said, these are just children who aren’t necessarily paying as close attention to they should when crossing the street.
“You try to tell children before they go across to look both ways, but kids are kids. They’re going to be distracted. They’re going to run across when they see a friend across the street. It’s up to drivers be more alert in school zones,” Toneguzzi said.
“And if you see a bus, be alert it could stop at anytime and put its lights on.”
The camera is being used occasionally on school-bus routes throughout the city.
