Summerside police cracking down on drivers illegally passing stopped school buses

Summerside police are cracking down on drivers illegally passing stopped school buses while their flashing red lights are activated.

Beginning this week, officers have started patrolling hot spots during peak morning and afternoon commute times after receiving more than a dozen complaints from bus drivers and the public.

"It's a big concern for us," said Sgt. Jason Blacquiere, of the Summersidepolice.

"That type of driving behaviour poses a significant risk to public safety and the potential consequences of that type of driving behaviour can be tragic and our students, they're very vulnerable when they're getting on and getting off the buses."

More than 15,000 students ride buses to school every day, according to the Public Schools Branch.

The PSB said it hasreceived 56 complaints of drivers passing school buses while they are stopped with their red lights flashingin the first six weeks of school, including 14 in Summerside.

Curb behaviour

"It's been an ongoing concern for a very long time," said Coun. Barb Ramsay, the city's chair of police services.

"We are getting more and more complaints all the time and it's becoming an issue and it has been an issue and our police services are really working diligently on putting this initiative in place."

The Water Street East area, from MacEwen Road to Read's Corner, is one of the areas with repeat violations, according to police.

Police said an increase in the number of complaints is likely due to inattentive drivers.

"With the media campaigns that've been taking place over the last couple of years and the enforcement and the attention that the increased penalties have been getting, it's hard to believe that people aren't aware of the issue," Blacquiere said.

"We're trying to curb the behaviour and hopefully stop the behaviour before there is a serious serious accident."

'Get control of the situation'

Three charges have been laid and police said they expect to lay charges in at least two more cases.

Officers will continue to watch for drivers illegally passing school buses along Water Street, then move to a different area of the city.

Police hope the blitz not only catches drivers who put school children at risk, but also raises awareness about the law.

"It may not totally eliminate it because that's, you know, that's a difficult one, buthopefully it slows everything down where we can at least get control of the situation," Ramsay said.

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