Press Release
District residents likely have noticed something new by now—school buses equipped with strobe lights.
School bus drivers will be using the protective lights to improve visibility of the bus when transporting students.
This initiative was made possible through Safe Communities Rainy River District (formerly the Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition) in co-operation with the Rainy River District School Board, the Northwest Catholic District School Board, and local bus operators.
Motorists will know there is a school bus ahead whether it is moving or stopped, which is especially critical in conditions that might impede visibility.
The strobe light mounts on the roof of a bus, and sends a blast of light into the sky every few seconds.
The cost of the strobe lights will be covered from Safe Communities Rainy River District and additional funds the safety coalition received from CN over the last two years.
The device acts as a long-distance warning system—for both motorists and trains—when a school bus stops at railway crossings.
Local bus operators are responsible for the installation and maintenance of this new safety feature.
First Nations’ communities were provided with the lights for their school buses, and the entire fleet of buses contracted by the district’s school boards now has operational strobe lights.
