A new school year is officially underway, and Sergeant Darcy Thiessen with Pembina Valley RCMP is taking the opportunity to remind us all to share the road safely.
With school buses, students walking and biking to school and parents doing morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups, there are a few things we need to keep in mind.
When encountering a stopped a school bus with its lights flashing and stop sign out, Sgt. Thiessen says motorists in both directions need to stop until the children are clear, the lights are off, and the stop sign is back in.
"That's on the highways, streets and rural roads," he added, noting there is only one exception to this rule and that's if you're travelling on a four-lane highway, like the one between Morden and Winkler.
"It's amazing how many calls we get during the school year," said Sgt. Thiessen. "Weekly we get a list of calls for people passing school buses when their stopped on the highway or the road while children are getting off."
He noted, most, if not all, school buses these days have cameras that provide very clear detail and license plate numbers when police receive the complaint.
The fine for passing a stopped school bus with its lights flashing and stop sign out is $672.
School zones
Sgt. Thiessen is also drawing motorists' attention to the school zone speed limits that are now back in effect.
"There's a lot of excited children the first day, the first weeks of school. Just watch, take your time, be safe out there and slow down."
Sgt. Thiessen says officers will be out in the communities they serve, keeping an eye on those school zones and monitoring traffic.