With the Labour Day long weekend just a couple of days away and summer winding down way faster than anyone really wants it to, it's that time of the year to remind all motor vehicle operators that school is back in session.
That means school bus operators are transporting hundreds of Bonnyville and area children to and from school Monday to Friday for the next 10 months.
It also means every single driver out there must take extra precautions to ensure they are obeying all rules of the road, including ensuring they come to a complete stop whenever a school bus flashes its lights to signal the driver is picking up or dropping off precious cargo along highways, streets, avenues and boulevards across the region Monday to Friday.
There is simply no excuse for ignoring the flashing lights of a school bus.
Sometimes people are in a rush to get to work or they have forgotten something at home on their way to work or are in a hurry to get somewhere for any number of reasons.
But no one should ever risk injuring a child riding on a school bus just because they are impatient or in a hurry.
There are heavy fines in place for anyone who disobeys the rules of the road when it comes to school bus safety, but no penalty could ever be sufficient to punish someone who disobeys flashing lights and ends up seriously injuring a young child all because of impatience.
School bus drivers have to undergo rigorous training to get their licence in order to transport school children and school children are taught the importance of safety getting to and from school from parents, caregivers and school administration from a very young age.
But children will be children and sometimes they are easily distracted and can wander onto a roadway at the blink of an eye for a variety of reasons.
It's up to all of us to use extra caution and err on the side of safety whenever we see a school bus approaching.
Being inattentive or impatient for just a few seconds can easily result in a tragedy that would haunt those involved for the rest of their lifetime.
There have been problems in the past in the Bonnyvillle area with a very small percentage of drivers willing to risk so much and disobeying school bus flashing lights simply to save a few precious seconds out of their day.
Anyone witnessing such inexcusable behaviour has every right to contact the local RCMP to report such erratic driving behaviour, because, as mentioned already, there's simply no excuse for it.
Getting hundreds of school children to and from school safely is a big responsibility shared by parents, school boards, bus drivers and the driving public.
We all have a role to play to ensure children arrive at school with a big smile on their face and get home to their guardians safely at the end of each school day.
Drive safely, slow down whenever you see a school bus approaching and always be on the lookout for children whenever you're near a school.
It's not asking a lot.
