As a school bus driver in Ontario Canada, I have witnessed far too many alarming incidents where motorists disregard the activated student crossing lights on our buses. On multiple occasions, I've seen children narrowly escape harm, with drivers carelessly speeding through without any regard for the stop signals. Unfortunately, without an opportunity to manually capture license plates, these offenders remain unchecked and our students remain at risk.

The safety of our children should be a top priority, and equipping every school bus with either a dash cam or external cameras—whether on both sides of the bus or on the stop arm that extends with the lights—is a practical and potentially lifesaving solution. Cameras on school buses serve not only as a deterrent to reckless driving but also provide concrete evidence in situations where laws are violated. This change could substantially decrease the number of illegal passings and protect our young students as they travel to and from school each day.

Statistics indicate that over 50% of child fatalities related to school transportation occur when children are outside the bus, hit by passing vehicles. Implementing mandatory cameras is a necessary step towards reducing this statistic in Ontario.

By signing this petition, you are supporting a change that will enhance the safety of countless children and hold negligent drivers accountable for their actions. Let's urge the Ontario government to make it mandatory for all school buses to have surveillance cameras installed. Join us in ensuring a safer journey for our children. Please sign and share this petition today to bring this crucial change to fruition.