Failing to Stop for a School Bus
About This Charge
Section 175 of the Highway Traffic Act requires drivers to stop for a school bus with its overhead red signals flashing, whether they are behind it or approaching from the other direction on most roads. A conviction brings a fine of $400 to $2,000 and six demerit points — a heavier penalty than most Highway Traffic Act offences carry. Because the charge usually rests entirely on an officer's account of what they saw in a few seconds — the bus, the lights, the distance, your vehicle — that account is exactly where a defence starts. R.S. Walia goes through the officer's notes and the sightlines involved before accepting that the penalty is warranted.
Potential Consequences
- Fine of $400 to $2,000
- 6 demerit points on conviction
- Among the highest point penalties in the Highway Traffic Act
- Insurance impact from a conviction can be significant
Why Representation Matters
A traffic charge is not proven simply because it was laid. The prosecution has to satisfy a number of technical requirements — accurate officer notes, properly calibrated equipment, a stop conducted the way the law requires. Where one of those is missing or flawed, a charge can be reduced or dropped. Mr. Walia goes through the disclosure on every file precisely to find that ground before the case is ever called.
Licensed paralegals are fully entitled to act for drivers in Provincial Offences Act matters. It means you can have an experienced advocate in your corner without paying what a lawyer would cost.
Talk It Over, Free of Charge
Describe what you are facing and Mr. Walia will give you a clear, honest read on your options. There is no fee for the conversation and no obligation afterward.
Send a Message (905) 454-2112A second opinion never hurts.
Before you decide how to handle this charge, let Mr. Walia look at it. He will lay out the realistic outcomes and tell you exactly what he can do — and you owe nothing for the asking.