No Excuses’: Parents Launch Powerful School Bus Safety Campaign After Death of 7-Year-Old Dante Caranci

A grieving community in southwestern Ontario has turned heartbreak into action following the tragic death of seven-year-old Dante Caranci, who was struck and killed after stepping off a school bus in December last year.

Refusing to let his death become just another statistic, parents, educators, and advocates have launched the “No Excuses” school bus safety campaign, a movement aimed at strengthening awareness, accountability, and enforcement around school bus laws.

Their message is simple — and urgent: when a school bus stops, so must drivers. There are no excuses.

A Life Lost on an Ordinary Afternoon

On December 16, 2024, Dante Caranci, a student at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Elementary School in Delaware, had just gotten off his school bus at the end of the day. Like any other child, he was excited to get home. Like any other family, his parents expected him to walk through the door safely.

Instead, tragedy struck along Longwoods Road near Murray Road in Lambeth, where the young boy was hit by a vehicle after exiting the bus. He later died from his injuries, devastating his loved ones and sending shockwaves through the community.

“It changed everything in an instant,” one community member said quietly. “It was just an ordinary school day… until it wasn’t.”

Flowers, handwritten notes, and stuffed animals soon lined the roadside where Dante lost his life. The site became a heartbreaking reminder of just how fragile child safety can be — and how severe the consequences are when drivers ignore school bus laws.

Turning Grief Into a Movement: The ‘No Excuses’ Campaign

Out of that grief came determination.

Parents and volunteers from the school community came together to create the Community Bus Safety Committee, which quickly launched the ‘No Excuses’ campaign. Their goal: to educate drivers, pressure governments, and protect children before another family suffers the same fate.

“The campaign was really focused on raising awareness,” said Katie Dechene, a member of the committee. “We want to share the message that there are absolutely no excuses for breaking the law — because when you do, you are putting children’s lives in danger.”

The campaign emphasizes the legal requirement for drivers in Ontario to stop when a school bus is stopped and its red lights are flashing. Despite this law, dangerous ‘drive-bys’ — when vehicles pass stopped school buses — continue at an alarming rate.

And that is what has angered and motivated Dante’s community the most.

Shockingly High Number of Violations

While many drivers believe passing a stopped bus is rare, statistics suggest it is happening on a massive, daily scale.

Committee member Lauren Preston shared a disturbing figure uncovered by a provincial study.

“The province of Ontario did a study in 2023,” she explained, “and estimated that about 30,000 illegal school bus drive-bys happen every single day across the province. That number is beyond shocking.”

“That’s 30,000 chances every day where our children are put directly in danger,” she added.

The statistic has fueled outrage, fear, and urgency among parents — especially those whose children rely on buses daily.

For many families, the school bus is supposed to be the safest part of the day. But for Dante, and for thousands of other children who face near misses, it has become an invisible danger zone.

A Personal Pain Shared by Many Parents

Dante’s story has deeply affected parents far beyond the Lambeth area. Across Ontario, families are now questioning how something so obvious — stopping for a bus — is still being ignored by drivers.

Parents involved in the campaign say that in a world of rushing, distracted driving, and impatience, safety for children is being pushed to the side.

“Everyone is in a hurry nowadays,” one mother said. “But no meeting, no text message, and no delivery is more important than a child’s life.”

Some parents admitted they now wait at the end of their driveways when their children exit the bus, watching carefully as traffic passes by.

“I never thought I’d feel scared of my child getting off the school bus,” another parent said. “But now I do.”

Education, Enforcement, and Visibility

The ‘No Excuses’ campaign isn’t just about words — it is about concrete change.

The group is calling for:

Stronger enforcement of existing school bus safety laws
Increased fines and penalties for offenders
Better signage and visibility around bus stops
More public education campaigns
Potential use of more stop-arm and camera technology
Inclusion of stronger messages in driver education programs

Members of the committee have started distributing signage, posting awareness messages on social media, and engaging with local politicians and school boards.

Their hope is to see long-term policy changes that will help prevent tragedies like Dante’s.

“We are not going to stop,” Dechene said. “Because one life lost is already too many.”

Remembering Dante

Despite the campaign’s determined tone, at its heart is deep sadness.

Dante is remembered as playful, kind, and full of life. Teachers described him as bright and friendly. Classmates remembered him as someone who loved to laugh and made others smile.

“He was just a normal kid doing normal kid things,” a family friend said. “That’s what makes it even more unbearable.”

Now, instead of planning playdates and birthday parties, his parents are helping lead a movement that no parent should ever feel forced to start.

Their strength has inspired an entire community.

A Message for Every Driver

The message of the ‘No Excuses’ campaign is simple and direct — and it applies to everyone behind the wheel:

If the red lights are flashing — STOP
If the stop sign is out — STOP
If children are nearby — SLOW DOWN
If you’re running late — STOP ANYWAY

Because, as Dante’s story shows, the consequences of rushing, ignoring, or assuming “it’s fine” can be permanent.

“There are no second chances in moments like that,” Preston said. “Once it happens, your life and that child’s life are changed forever.”

Looking Forward: Protecting the Next Child

As the campaign continues to grow, organizers are hoping the provincial government will take notice and act.

They are planning future awareness events, school visits, and collaborations with law enforcement to make school bus safety impossible to ignore.

Their dream is that no other parent ever has to stand where they stand now.

“If Dante’s story can save even one child,” Dechene said, “then his life will still have a powerful meaning. But it should never have cost him his life in the first place.”