School buses have an excellent safety record in Canada and are the safest way to transport children to and from school. Even with this record, there are opportunities for improvement. That is why the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced today proposed regulatory changes to further strengthen school bus safety.
The proposal recommends that:
- All new and imported school buses in Canada be equipped with extended stop arms and a new visibility system for the bus driver to better see around the bus; and
- Clear requirements be set for the voluntary installation of infraction cameras. These devices can help law enforcement catch unsafe driver behaviour around school buses.
Together, these measures can help deter vehicles from illegally passing a stopped school bus, while also helping improve the bus driver’s ability to see children outside the bus.
The proposal follows the 2020 Report of the Task Force on School Bus Safety, which recommends new measures to protect children outside the school bus, where they are at the highest risk.
“When it comes to protecting our children, we can never be safe enough. Passing any school bus with its stop arm deployed is reckless, and these proposed measures will help deter this. At the same time, the new visibility system would give school bus drivers a better view around the outside of the bus. I want to thank the Task Force on School Bus Safety and our many partners for bringing this proposal forward.”
The Honourable Omar Alghabra
Minister of Transport
An estimated 2.2 million Canadian children travel to and from school every day on over 50,000 school buses.