Oakville Mother Worries About Children’s Safety After Vehicles Drive by School Bus
Published June 11, 2019 at 4:56 pm
Although summer vacation is just around the corner for many teachers and students in Halton, one Oakville mother still wants drivers to be more cautious around school buses.
Although summer vacation is just around the corner for many teachers and students in Halton, one Oakville mother still wants drivers to be more cautious around school buses.
Kaitlyn Newbold is a mother of two boys (ages 7 and 11) who lives on Bronte Road in Oakville. And, according to Newbold, every morning vehicles drive by the school bus that is picking up her children.
“The bus arrives at 8:28 [a.m.] and only stops for a matter of one minute,” Newbold says. “The bus driver follows protocol and lays on her horn but the drivers are in too big of a rush and don’t bother to stop. Some drivers creep past the bus, so they actually slow down and continue on.”
This video was taken on June 11, 2019.
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Newbold notes that she first moved into her current home two years ago and this has been an issue since day one. Although, since the bus stop is located at the end of Newbold’s driveway, Newbold says that her children are the only ones being impacted by this issue at the specific location.
Halton Police have taken steps to try to resolve this issue.
Newbold says there have been police officers who have sat outside for a week monitoring traffic. In addition, the town of Oakville, notes Newbold, has also put signs up.
“A week or so after the officers attended this stop location, I noticed [two] big [town] signs that flash your speed,” Newbold says. She continued to explain that with these signs, drivers are notified to slow down.
“I have also seen little yellow signs, that are a little way down from our home, that also say watch for children on both sides of the road,” Newbold continued. However, she notes that this doesn’t seem to be working.
In terms of how this issue could be resolved, Newbold says she just wants people to be more aware.
“I personally just wanted people to be more aware, whether we can get some type of school bus flashing sign like some neighbours have that says ‘stop when the red lights are flashing’ or a sign that says ‘share the road’ or something to really make drivers become more aware from both sides of the road,” Newbold says. “It only takes one minute out of everyone’s drive to make sure two little lives are on their bus safely.”
Halton Police are reminding drivers to exercise caution when driving in school and school bus loading zone areas.
“This concern regarding traffic safety has been brought to my attention, and officers have been assigned to enforce the Highway Traffic Act in this area,” Sgt. Milo Cimbur said in a statement. “Motorists are reminded to use care when driving in school and school bus loading zones as passing vehicles create a hazard for children in these areas. Motorists are also reminded that the offence of failing to stop for a school bus will cost you $490 fine and 6 demerit points.”
Video and cover photo is courtesy of Kaitlyn Newbold.
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