School buses (continued)
- You must remain stopped until the alternating flashing red lights are turned off and the stop sign on the driver’s side is no longer extended.
On a highway divided by a median, do the following:
- When you approach a school bus from the rear and its alternating amber lights are flashing, follow the same procedures as you would for a highway that is not divided by a median.
- When you approach a school bus from the front and the school bus has its alternating amber or red lights flashing, you may proceed with caution. Watch for pedestrians. Remember, this is only on a divided highway.
These rules apply whenever and wherever the school bus lights are activated. Some municipalities have rules for school bus operation specific to their region.
Snowplows
When clearing snow from the roads, snowplows may create a snow cloud that makes it difficult for drivers of other vehicles to see them. It may also be difficult to see past the snowplows for oncoming vehicles.
Safety tips when driving near a snowplow:
- Snowplows are equipped with flashing amber and red lights to make them more visible. Remember,t “flashing amber and red means snowplow ahead”.
- Maintain a safe following distance behind the snowplow. Most maintenance vehicles will have a sign at the rear to let motorists know the minimum safe following distance. Keeping this distance will give you more time to react to the unexpected, and avoid rock damage to your vehicle from the snowplow’s sanding unit.
- Passing a snowplow is strictly prohibited when:
- the view along the side of the snowplow is obstructed
- passing impedes the operation of the snowplow, or
- the act of passing cannot be done safely.
- Snow plow operators will move to the side of the road, where it is safe, every five to eight kilometres to allow vehicles to pass. Even when passing is permitted, it is safer to stay well back until the snowplow operator can safely move over to allow vehicles to pass.
- Before passing a snowplow on a two-lane highway (one lane in each direction), be sure you can see far enough ahead and that passing is permitted by the road markings or signs.
When a snowplow is approaching from the opposite direction, look ahead in your lane carefully. There may be an oncoming vehicle that is passing the snowplow using your lane. Be prepared o use an escape route.