chapter 13
An Act to amend the Highway Traffic Act
Assented to May 12, 2021
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
1 (1) The definition of “school bus” in subsection 175 (1) of the Highway Traffic Act is repealed and the following substituted:
“school bus” means a bus that,
(a) is painted chrome yellow,
(b) displays on the front and rear thereof the words “school bus”, and
(c) displays on the rear thereof the words “do not pass when signals flashing” or “do not pass when red lights flashing”. (“autobus scolaire”)
(2) Subsection 175 (3.1) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:
Same
(3.1) If all or part of a bus operated under the authority of a permit issued under subsection 7 (7) is painted chrome yellow, the bus shall display,
(a) on its front and rear the words “school bus”; and
(b) on its rear,
(i) the words “do not pass when signals flashing”, if the school bus was manufactured before January 1, 2005, or
(ii) the words “do not pass when red lights flashing” if the school bus was manufactured on or after January 1, 2005.
(3) Subsection 175 (4) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:
School bus signs
(4) No motor vehicle on a highway, other than a school bus, shall,
(a) have the words “school bus”, “do not pass when signals flashing” or “do not pass when red lights flashing” displayed on the motor vehicle; or
(b) be equipped with a school bus stop arm.
(4) Section 175 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:
Overhead signal-lights
(4.1) Every school bus registered in Ontario that is manufactured on or after January 1, 2005 shall be equipped with four overhead red signal-lights and four overhead amber signal-lights mounted outside of the bus at or near the roof line in the following configuration:
1. One red signal-light and one amber signal-light on each side of the bus at the front.
2. One red signal-light and one amber signal-light on each side of the bus at the rear.
(5) Subsection 175 (5) of the Act is amended by striking out “subsection (3), (3.1) or (4)” at the end and substituting “(3), (3.1), (4) or (4.1)”.
(6) Subsection 175 (6) of the Act is amended by striking out “red” wherever it appears.
(7) Subsection 175 (8) of the Act is amended by striking out “red”.
(8) Subsection 175 (9) of the Act is amended by striking out “red” in the portion before clause (a).
(9) Subsection 175 (15) of the Act is amended by adding the following clause:
(c.1) governing the use of equipment on or in vehicles referred to in clause (a), including requiring the use of any equipment and prescribing the standards and specifications of the equipment;
Commencement
2 This Act comes into force on July 1, 2022.
Short title
3 The short title of this Act is the Safer School Buses Act, 2021.