Record number of school bus 'fly-bys' reported by Pembina Hills

BARRHEAD – Pembina Hills School Division reported a record number of drivers passing stopped school buses while children were on the roads. 

At the Wednesday, Nov. 30 meeting, members of the Pembina Hills School Board were shocked to hear how many times area drivers have put children at risk.

Pembina Hills School Division said it recorded 19 "fly-by" incidents in September, and a further 23 in October.

A fly-by occurs when the school bus has activated its yellow and red lights and the arm at the front of the bus has been extended out to the side of the bus with a stop sign on it. Drivers don’t slow down or stop to allow children to get to or from the bus safely.

These incidents can cause trauma to the children and the bus drivers, and carry a serious risk of injury or death. This year, a six-year-old Ontario boy was killed in October while running for the bus.

Shantelle Haitel, Pembina Hills School Division transportation director, recounted an incident where a driver charged by RCMP for a fly-by swore he hadn't committed an offence.

“He said, 'There's no way it could have been my vehicle, because I pay attention to school buses.'”

Haitel invited the person in to view the camera footage.

“When he came in, he was absolutely shaken because he had no idea that he even went through a school bus red lights,” Haitel said.

School buses now carry extension arms that stretch out roughly two metres. Drivers often have to drive off the shoulder into the ditch to get past the arms, putting children and themselves in danger.

These new arms cost $6,000 apiece but officials see them as a necessity with the number of reckless drivers doing fly-bys.

Haitel recalled an incident where a driver smashed through the extension arm, putting a child at serious risk.

She said the other children on the bus were traumatized by the sound of the crash. The driver didn't stop, showing no concern for the children, the bus driver, or the damage they caused.

School divisions and police have some ways to fight back against road recklessness. For starters, there are several cameras on every bus.

Drivers are being charged by the RCMP and the fine is $543 dollars.

Haitel said a major factor in these incidents is simply lack of care and attention behind the wheel.

“The general complacency that people have when they're driving … sometimes, you know, you might be tired, you might be hungry, something might be going on, and your mind is not entirely on driving.”

“It's so important for all of us to have that standard of care. Especially through the winter, where you know there are too many other things Iike snow and ice that can make your vehicle react in a way you don't expect.”

The number of September fly-bys increased substantially in 2024, increasing three times over the 2023 number.

The Pembina Hills School Division Board discussed several alternative solutions to combat the problem.

Trustees Sherry Allen and Maureen Schnirer pointed out that the laws are different in Edmonton than in rural municipalities.

In Edmonton, a driver can pass a stopped bus, but in country municipalities that use yellow and red lights on buses, a driver must stop for the bus.

Haitel explained the yellow lights means that a school bus is preparing to stop, and the red lights are a direction for other motorists to stop because a child is on the road.

Heather Nanninga said 40 of the fly-bys in the Pembina Hills School Division involved passenger vehicles, three were larger vehicles, and two were company vehicles.

The camera footage from the buses is given to the RCMP for further action. There have been several prosecutions, but not all vehicles have visible licence plates to identify the owner.

The school board is looking at installing more cameras and bus drivers are instructing children on when it is safe to cross.