Calgary school bus drivers should use flashing red lights, councillor says

As thousands of Calgary students return to school on yellow buses, a city councillorwants bus drivers to start using the flashing red lights on their vehicles.

The City of Calgary banned the lights in 1986, arguing many motorists ignored the lights, which unsafely encouraged children to cross the street near buses rather than walking to a corner or crosswalk.

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But Coun. Joe Magliocca says using flashing red lights would only enhance safety for students.

"Let's put up the four-way lights. Let's put up the eight-way lights. Let's put up the stop bar [so] kids don't cross right in front of the buses.The equipment is on every bus. Let's just utilize it."

It would not replace teaching kids how to cross the road safely, he said.

"I want to encourage them to look both ways. I want to encourage them to look in automobile drivers'eyes when they cross that road."

While Magliocca took his argument to a council committee Thursday, members concluded there isno need to change the law.

No safety guarantee: report

In a 2014 report on the issue, City of Calgary staff concluded that only two children in 20 years had been struck by a vehicle while crossing the road near a school bus. Yet theresearch showed drivers routinely ignoredflashing lights.

"Mandating the use of flashing red light and stop arm cannot guarantee studentsafety during loading-unloading of the school buses; rather this could increase the risk of a collision by providing false notions of safety to the students while crossing the road."

The report also concluded that"stopping traffic when a school bus loads or unloads would result in impacts to vehicular traffic flow" during peak times.

But Magliocca arguesdrivers who ignore the lights should face the police.

"That's their job. Let them enforce it," he said. "If people get tickets they get a $300 fine and a couple of demerit points. You know what? Next time they're not going to do it. I'm very passionate about this because, you know, I've had a couple of kids hit in my area and I see the frustration of the parents."

City council will discuss the issue at a meeting next week.

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