ALBANY, P.E.I. - A family in Albany is thanking their lucky stars after a frighteningly close call Tuesday, Oct. 23 at their daughter's school bus stop.
Jill Lindstedt walked her daughter, Koral, to the end of their lane at about 7:50 a.m. and waited with her while she crossed the Trans-Canada Highway to board.
As Koral was about half-way to her transportation, a Jeep Cherokee failed to stop at the bus’ flashing sign.
The six-year-old jumped out of the way of the oncoming vehicle. The SUV swerved to avoid her but continued on towards Charlottetown.
Koral is unhurt and went on her way to school, but it was a terrifying thing to see, said Jill.
“In an instant that moment could have changed our whole lives. I still see it. Had she froze or had she turned towards me, she would have been hit – bad,” said Jill.
They did not see the license plate of the vehicle other than it was from P.E.I. Witnesses have said the driver was a woman and she may have been distracted by a phone.
Jill’s husband, Kolin, said this incident should be a wake-up call for Island drivers.
“Stop texting and driving. It’s just unacceptable. Pay attention on the road – it’s not worth it,” he said.
The driver of Koral’s bus, Ralph Coughlin, wrote a Facebook post about the incident which has since been shared heavily.
“Scariest scene I have witnessed in 22 years driving a school bus,” wrote Coughlin.
“Somehow this situation has got to be addressed more aggressively to get the travelling public to pay more attention to these big yellow buses before an innocent child gets injured.”
Prince County RCMP Const. Jeff Wright said the incident is under investigation.
He is hopeful the driver of the vehicle will see the media attention this story is getting and contact the RCMP.
There have been other high-profile and even recorded incidents in other parts of the province this year, demonstrating people failing to stop for school buses.
Wright said that between Jan. 1 and Oct. 25 there has been 23 complaints of drivers failing to stop at school bus red lights in Prince County alone.
Every one of those incidents could have had a tragic ending, he said, and drivers have to pay more attention to what they are doing.
“Slow down and pay attention … driving is the most important thing you can do while you’re driving. Pay attention to the road. There is just no reason to be distracted by something else, cell phones or whatever the case may be,” said Wright.
The vehicle involved in this incident has been described as a white Jeep Cherokee with black trim.
Anyone who may have witnessed this incident can contact the RCMP at 902-368-9300 or P.E.I. Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Related: P.E.I. RCMP looking for Jeep that passed school bus with flashing lights
