Drivers must take more care near school buses
Posted Feb 4, 2010 By Danella Beerda-Morgan
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Tweet ThisDear Editor:
There are laws against private citizens administering justice to law-breakers. However, maybe parents, and also us grandparents, need to be given the right to seek some kind of retribution from people who wantonly endanger our children.
Yesterday I was waiting on the sidewalk for my six year-old grandson to get off the school bus. The bus was stopped and had the red lights flashing, when a "person" in a small black car with a license plate "A- -" sped past between the bus and myself. Obviously too preoccupied with something to even notice what they had done, they neither stopped nor slowed down.
The life of a child should have more value than the saving of the little time it takes you to let him get across the street. The bus driver said this happens every day! I would ask everyone who waits for their child to get off the school bus, to keep paper and pencil handy. Write down the licence number and call the police.
The bus drivers already have their eyes and hands occupied with controlling the bus, its safety equipment and ensuring the children get off the bus safely.
Maybe school buses need to have more than a foldout bar near the door to keep the children in view of the driver. Maybe there should be a foldout bar on the driver's side, which would become a barrier to traffic.
There is an old saying, "You can't legislate against stupidity."
Maybe smacking into a yellow bar, with the offender, not insurance, covering the cost to replace it and their windshield, would be more effective - and easier to live with than killing a child.
Danella Beerda-Morgan
Smiths Falls
