Ontario Police Warn Drivers About The Huge Fines For Ignoring Rules Around School Buses

The Ontario Provincial Police are warning drivers to take special care around school buses in order to keep kids safe.

In a February 1 press release, OPP officers said they'd like "to remind motorists to pay close attention when meeting or following a school bus" or you could get slapped with some serious fines.

"Motorists in both directions must stop when approaching a stopped school bus with its stop sign extended and red lights activated and cannot start moving until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop sign has been retracted and the bus has started to move," officers said in the statement.

Breaking this rule for the first time gets drivers slapped with a fine ranging from $400 to $2,000. Plus, they’ll get hit with six demerit points.

Repeat offenders will face a fine between $1,000 to $4,000, six demerit points, and could even serve up to six months in jail.

Members of the Huntsville Detachment issued the reminder after growing concern for drivers not following the roadway rules by Riverside Public School on Brunel Road.

According to OPP, officers will continue to conduct traffic enforcement in school zones and school bus pick-up and drop-off areas to ensure the safety of our community.

"Motorists should be aware that there is often a reduced speed limit and increased penalty for not adhering to the speed limit in school zones," they warned.

According to the Highway Traffic Act, anyone playing Fast and Furious with the road rules in community safety zones, like school zones, could get hit with fines that are double the amount of what it usually is for speeding anywhere else.

And with a major snowstorm about to descend upon parts of Ontario, drivers will need to be extra, extra careful this week.