With the summer break coming to an end, kids across Ontario and Orléans will soon be returning to school. I hope that the children in your life enjoyed their much-deserved break and had the opportunity to spend time outdoors during the amazing summer we had.

I know kids (and their parents) are excited to return to school and see their friends. With more children out and about during commuting hours it is important that we continue our efforts to keep our neighbourhoods safe.

Let’s remember to:

✅ Slow down while driving
✅ Stop for school buses
✅ Be extra cautious for children who may be walking or biking to school 

We can all agree that there is never an excuse for passing a school bus whose stop arm is out. This is an egregious traffic violation that puts the lives of our children at risk.

A few years ago I launched the I Stop, You Stop road safety campaign in Ottawa. This was an educational campaign to remind motorists of the importance of stopping for school buses whose lights are flashing and stop arms deployed.

As part of this program Ottawa was also the first city in Ontario to deploy a fully automated camera system to catch and fine motorists who speed passed stopped school buses.

Read the article from City News here and watch a CTV Ottawa segment here.

No child’s life is worth the few seconds you will save by passing a stopped school bus.

I hope that everyone enjoys the remaining days of summer break and wishing everyone well for a safe and successful school year.