A close call in Mattawa Tuesday where a pair of children were about to step out of a school bus with lights flashing.
OPP say at approximately 3:26 p.m., officers from the Mattawa and North Bay Detachments responded to a traffic complaint regarding two vehicles that did not stop for a school bus on Highway 17 in Papineau-Cameron Township, east of Mattawa.
Two children were about to leave the stopped school bus, that had its flashing lights activated when two vehicles drove past it.
Both vehicles were stopped a short time later on Highway 17.
This incident occurred very close to the location where Adam Ranger was hit by a vehicle and killed, while crossing the highway after leaving a school bus, 18 years ago.
All buses in Mattawa that drive on Highway 17 are equipped with dash cameras to assist drivers and officers with evidentiary information to support charges.
Genevieve Carre, 31, of Sudbury, and Duncan McDonnell, 26, of Calgary, Alta., were both charged with Fail to Stop for School Bus.
Every driver or street car operator, when meeting on a highway, other than a highway with a median strip, a stopped school bus that has its overhead red signal-lights flashing, shall stop before reaching the bus and shall not proceed until the bus moves or the overhead red signal-lights have stopped flashing. The driver faces a set fine of $400 with a $90 victim fine surcharge and six demerit points.
Vehicles must stop when the bus is completely stopped and the overhead red signal-lights flashing. The stop arm does not have to be extended.
