Heather Latter
Local parent Randy Thoms wants school buses to include cameras mounted on the outside to deter drivers from blowing past them when their signal signs are flashing.
“What’s happening is, especially in front of our place, is people aren’t stopping for the school bus,” Thoms told trustees at last Tuesday’s meeting of the Rainy River District School Board.
“We live on Portage Avenue between Fifth and Sixth [Street], there is lots of distance either way to see the bus and, for some reason, motorists are just booting on right through the stopped school bus as he’s stopping to either pick up my child or drop her off,” he noted.
Thoms said in speaking to the school bus driver, he’s become aware that motorists failing to stop happens fairly regularly.
And not just locally.
Thoms indicated a pilot project last year saw cameras installed on 10 school buses in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.
“Some jurisdictions have them already, many in the U.S., and I’ve seen images online and they pick up, sometimes, some really graphic video and you just shake your head as to why this happens,” he remarked.
Thoms said things started back in February when they identified the first car that failed to stop.
He said under the current law, the OPP wants to know the licence plate number, a description of the vehicle, and a description of the driver to help make charges stick.
Thoms told trustees he has been to court recently as a witness in a case.
But because they weren’t able to identify the driver and couldn’t 100 percent prove the vehicle was from Fort Frances, the case got thrown out.
“There’s got to be a way to help make these charges stick and avoid these times in court,” Thoms stressed, adding that’s when he did some research and discovered the three-camera unit.
He noted the cameras, which average $1,500-$5,000 each, would be able to capture that information.
“I don’t think I should be the eyes,” Thoms said, indicating that instead of trying to get a description of the driver or the vehicle, he feels his focus should be on getting his daughter on the bus safely.
“But it’s come to a point that we are now working in tandem with the bus driver,” he added.
He noted the bus driver is trying to identify the driver of the vehicle, Thoms’ wife is watching from the house to get a description of the vehicle, and Thoms himself is trying to get the licence plate number.
He stressed he wants to be proactive before someone gets hurt, as well as to nab drivers who aren’t stopping.
“I’m not asking the school board for money,” Thoms said. “I’m taking this cause right to the provincial government.
“I’ve talked to Northern Development minister Michael Gravelle, I’ve talked to [local MPP] Sarah Campbell, who both believe that this should be something that is standard equipment on school buses,” he added.
“I think this should be a part of school buses when they are made.”
Thoms said he wanted to talk locally about the issue first to make sure the school board is supportive with what he’s trying to push.
“It’s happening way too frequently . . . and it’s getting into winter time and I think we are going to have a lot more,” he reasoned.
Board chair Dianne McCormack said the idea of cameras on school buses will be sent to the finance committee to see if it is something they would like to invest in.
The OPP, meanwhile, recently issued a press release reminding motorists that they must stop for school buses that are stopped with their overhead red signal lights flashing after receiving an increased number of complaints from local bus drivers and concerned citizens.
The penalty is a $490 fine and six demerit points.
