Debate contribution: Safety at School Bus Stops

Debate contribution by Mr Declan McAleer on 2 June 2025.

MLA

Mr Declan McAleer

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

2 June 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Safety at School Bus Stops

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4981267

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. I commend the SDLP for bringing it to the House. I welcome the families who have lost loved ones through tragedies at bus stops. I can only imagine the heartbreak that you are experiencing. Indeed, as a parent, I can hardly imagine what you feel. I witnessed my two children narrowly miss being hit by a car that sped past a bus that they were attempting to get on. That was about five years ago. Until this day, if I am there when they are leaving in the morning, it is the last thing that I tell them. As they head out the front door to get on the bus — if I am not there, I ring them — I say, "Listen: just be careful when you are getting on that bus". It is incredibly dangerous.

I have raised the issue previously. I know that DFI and DE have engaged in a lot of awareness raising through, for example, Share the Road to Zero and other road safety resources, but legislation is absolutely vital to reduce death and injury around school buses and at schools. I am glad to note that the Minister is minded to take this forward. Obviously, a Bill would go through Committee Stage, Consideration Stage and Further Consideration Stage. It is important that, when it does so, we look at international best practice. I have colleagues who teach in the UAE and friends in Canada. I know that, in the UAE, it is illegal to pass a stationary school bus. If a driver attempts to do that, they face a fine of 1,000 AED, which is equivalent to £210, and 10 penalty points on their licence. In Ontario in Canada, if a school bus is stationary and the lights are flashing, a vehicle that is either approaching or coming behind must stop at least 20 metres away until either the lights on the bus go off or the bus takes off. It is important that we get legislation to enforce that. There are issues, yes, as not all children travel on designated buses that are obviously school buses. However, if there is the political will to sort this, a way will be found. It will be found through the legislative process. I welcome the Minister's commitment. I hope that the legislation can be progressed without any unnecessary delay to —

— go some way to prevent any further loss of life and heartbreak for families.

419 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:45 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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