School bus rear-ended in crash leads to careless driving charge in Ontario town, police say

Police have laid a careless driving charged against a motorist after crashing into a school bus with flashing lights and its stop sign extended in an Ontario town.

The OPP says officers with the Grey Bruce detachment were on patrol around 8:15 a.m. on Monday when they came to a crash scene near Clearview Crescent in Meaford, approximately 30 kilometres west of Owen Sound.

A school bus was stopped for another bus that had its lights and stop sign arm extended when the driver of a third vehicle crashed into one of the buses, police say.

Investigators say no drivers or students were injured in the crash, ad that the driver rear-ended one of the buses.

A 31-year-old driver from Meadford was arrested and charged with careless driving under the Highway Traffic Act, police said.

The identity of the accused has not been released.

The crash has the OPP reminding drivers to be cautious when sharing the road with school buses.

Police say to watch for flashing amber lights indicating the bus will stop to pick up or drop off students.

“Slow down and prepare to stop when the bus activates its alternately flashing red lights,” police said. “Do not move forward until the red lights have stopped flashing or the bus begins to move.”

Drivers who ignore the flashing red lights and stop arms, and continue past the stopped bus, can be fined $400 to $2,000 for a first offence.

First offenders may also lose six demerit points and follow-up offences could cost drivers $1,000 to $4,000, six demerit points and up to six months in jail.