The Windsor Police Service is reminding drivers to be safe and be aware with more traffic and school buses back on the road as kids across the city head back to school.
Constable Andie Suthers says they need drivers to prioritize safety over their own personal timeline or convenience.
Drivers are reminded to not only plan ahead to get where they are going as there will be more traffic on the roads, but to be aware of kids also out walking or biking on the road to school.
Suthers says drivers need to maintain a safe distance from a school bus, especially when they are stopped and the red lights are flashing.
"You want to make sure if you're coming up from the front of the school bus, you have to make sure you have a safe distance so kids can go on and off the bus and cross safely in front of you. If you're approaching from the rear, you need at least 20 meters distance," she says.
Suthers says drivers need to be extra cautious and patient in school zones.
"Make sure you're aware of where school zones are because obviously fines are escalted in those zones. It's just super important, especially as people are getting back into the swing of things with going to school; just slow down. Make sure you're taking your time and being on the lookout for students," she says.
Suthers says drivers also need to obey the instructions from safety or crossing guards.
"Their instructions would actually supercede the instructions from a stop sign or traffic light. If it's a green light but you're being directed to stop by a safety guard, you have to listen to them first," she says.
Drivers convicted of a charge of passing a stopped school bus face a $400-$2000 fine and the loss of six demerit points.