School bus stop signs too often ignored, say transport operators
Posted January 26, 2026 7:35 am.
Last Updated January 26, 2026 12:51 pm.
Backed by statistics, the Fédération des transporteurs par autobus (FTA) laments that too many motorists still fail to stop when a yellow bus displays its stop sign to let schoolchildren on or off. And many of these offenders are drivers who are likely to have school-age children themselves.
At the start of the 38th school transportation safety awareness campaign, the FTA released on Monday the number of tickets issued for failure to stop for school buses in Quebec.
According to data from the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), the number rose to 939 in 2024, a 15 per cent increase compared to 2020. That year, just over 800 tickets were issued for this type of offense.
However, the number of tickets issued for this offense in 2024 was slightly lower than in the previous three years. In 2021 and 2022, there were around 1,000 tickets issued, before dropping to 945 in 2023, according to SAAQ statistics.
Nevertheless, on the road, school bus drivers often observe drivers who ignore the flashing stop signal and are not stopped by the police, said Luc Lafrance, interim president and CEO of the FTA, in an interview.
“Beyond the figures reported by the SAAQ, there are also transport companies telling us that their drivers report situations almost every day where motorists have failed to stop at stop signs,” he says.
What surprises Lafrance even more about the SAAQ statistics is the age of a significant proportion of offenders. Drivers aged 25 to 44 accounted for nearly 52 per cent of those who committed this offense. This represents a 26 per cent increase since 2020.
“This is the target age group for parents of children in elementary or high school. So it’s also very worrying,” notes Lafrance.
There may be many factors explaining why so many motorists break this rule: distractions while driving or parents in a hurry after dropping their children off at school, for example, suggests Lafrance. However, he points out that these are not valid excuses.
He does not believe, however, that it is due to a lack of knowledge of the regulations, which have been in place for many years.
“It’s been in place, I would say, since we started running safety campaigns. (…) It’s well known that this offense is quite serious. Drivers lose nine demerit points on their license. And it’s a $300 fine. So you have to think twice before ignoring flashing lights,” he argues.
The FTA will nevertheless emphasize the importance of obeying school bus stop signs this year as part of its 38th awareness campaign entitled “Did you see me?”
“When students get on or off the school bus, there are often several of them doing so at the same time. They are often undisciplined and will cross without looking, knowing that it is safe to do so because there are flashing lights,” explains Lafrance.
“It’s important for drivers near school buses to always be vigilant, watch for flashing lights, and watch for children who might suddenly dart out between cars or in front of the bus,” he continues.
During this awareness week, various initiatives will be carried out by transport companies and school service centers to remind people of safe behavior around school buses.
The FTA reports that over the past 18 years, three schoolchildren have been fatally involved in accidents near school buses.
