Pickering mom 'enraged' after car caught on video passing school bus, almost hitting daughter

A Pickering, Ont., mother says she was "enraged" after her daughter was almost hit by a car passing the school bus that the 10-year-old had just left, in an incident caught on security camera.

On Sept. 29, Melissa Hillier's daughter, Rebecca, had crossed the road at Shadybrook Drive after getting off a school bus.

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Hillier said the video, given to her by a neighbour, shows a car darting around a Stock Transportation school bus, which had its stop sign retracted, and swerving to avoid her daughter. 

"I was inside [my house] with my husband and we heard screaming," Hillier told CBC News. "She was screaming and crying, and we couldn't get her to talk. Another little boy that's on the same bus as her was running after her and he was the one who told us what had happened.

"When she calmed down, she goes, 'Mummy, he hit my backpack,'" said Hillier. "Then I was enraged."

She also said the bus driver indicated to Rebecca that she could cross the road.

"She said she stopped, looked at the bus driver, and the bus driver indicated for her to go," said Hillier. "They're taught to put their trust in the bus driver, to go on their command, and that's what she did. She was almost severely hurt because of trusting that one individual."

'Half a second earlier ... she loses a daughter'

Hillier said she tried to draw attention to the incident, but was not taken seriously by Durham Regional Police or Stock Transportation.

"I contacted Stock Transportation; they have not ever communicated with me," she said.

In an email, Stock Transportation spokeswoman Molly Hart said the incident will be used as a lesson for drivers.

"The safety of our students is our top priority. We are sharing this incident with all of our drivers as a safety reminder. Given this week is celebrated as School Bus Safety Week, a campaign to help raise awareness of student safety as they travel to and from school, our focus remains on reminding all — drivers, students and motorists — that everyone has a role to play in safe student transportation."

Hillier said she called police and an officer came to her house, but that she was only given a "very quick talk."

"He basically told us there was nothing he could do, just go online [to] Durham Regional Police and fill out a road report," said Hillier.

"I was upset, but at the time I didn't see the video," she added. "So I wasn't sure if I was just an overacting mom.

"I didn't know how to act, I thought, 'OK, well maybe I shouldn't have called 911. You kind of made me feel like I was doing something wrong.'"

Hillier said her story only started gaining traction after the video was shared.

"I actually cried the first time I saw it," she said. 

Local resident and neighbour Rick Crumpton saw the video, and said it was "horrific."

"A half a second earlier and I think she loses a daughter. That should not happen coming home from school."

'He kept going. Why didn't you stop?'

Brian Patterson, president and CEO of the Ontario Safety League, said what happened in the video is a common occurrence.

"The shocking part about watching that video is that it happens one-and-a-half times a day to school bus drivers across the province," he said, adding he is working to get cameras installed in buses to catch "drivers who place kids at risk."

Patterson blames "discourteous and distracted drivers" who believe "they are the most important users on the roadway."

He also put blame on the driver in the video, calling his actions "just outrageous."

Hillier see fault on both sides, and said she spoke with the bus driver.

"He actually admitted to me the Friday I spoke to him that he did indicate to [Rebecca] to cross," she said. "Maybe he wasn't trained properly, maybe he's not following protocol, I don't know.

"And I also have anger for the [car] driver," she added, noting he admitted to police that he saw Rebecca and swerved to avoid hitting her. "But he kept going. Why didn't you stop?"

Rebecca still takes the bus home, but now her mother is there to pick her up.

However, the 10-year-old said she's "still a little bit scared."