Bus Safety Program

Children are our most important resource Think Safety First Not Speed First Bus Safety Program SAFETY

Safety Training Presentation Loading and Unloading Safely Mustafa Abdullah Safety & Training Instructor

Girl hit by school bus diesKLTV, TX – September 4, 2004 HOUSTON A four-year-old girl has been killed after being struck by a school bus as she and her father met her brother who was arriving home from school. Authorities say Fatima Romero's brother had just walked off the school bus when the accident happened in front of the family's southwest Harris County home yesterday afternoon. The girl was walking next to her father while he waited for his son and other neighborhood children to get off the bus. After the boy exited, the bus began to drive away, striking Fatima. Authorities say the vehicle was probably traveling at less than five miles per hour.

More students are killed while getting on or off a school bus each year than are killed as passengers inside of a school bus. As a result, knowing what to do before, during and after loading or unloading students is critical. This presentation will give you procedures to help you avoid unsafe conditions which could result in injuries and or fatalities during and after loading or unloading students.

After having been in school all day under strict supervision, students usually have a lot of pent up energy. They are ready to release that energy, and are not always paying attention to what is going on around them. SN

School buses are one of the safest forms of transportation in the nation - nearly 2,000 times safer than the family car. Accidents are rare because school districts work hard to train drivers to avoid getting into accidents. In addition, the buses themselves are designed to withstand all but the most serious crashes without death or serious injury. With continued training to help children learn how to get on and off the bus safely – we can help prevent the remaining few accidents that now occur. The reality of school bus safety is that more children are hurt outside a bus than inside one. The child who bends over to retrieve a dropped school paper, or who walks too close to the bus while crossing the street, needs to be aware that every yellow school bus is surrounded by a danger zone. SCHOOL BUS SAFETY GUIDE

Children should be taught to escape from that zone by taking five giant steps as soon as they leave the bus. If they must cross the street after exiting, tell them to cross in front of the bus - and to be sure they're able to maintain eye contact with the driver. Perhaps the most difficult thing to teach children, especially young children, is not to go back to pick up items they've dropped near the bus, or left on the bus. Parents and other adults must also do their part. For instance, most motorists need to learn to share the road with school buses and stop when the bus stops to take on or let off passengers. If we all do our part - if motorists heed school bus warning lights, bus drivers drive defensively, parents help their children learn to ride safely and children learn to avoid the bus's danger zone - it can be safer still to ride to and from school in that yellow bus. *How can we help inform motorists and parents? SN

Making a Safe Stop All stops must be approved by the transportation department, never change the location of a bus stop, or add a stop without approval from the transportation department. You must use extreme caution when approaching a school bus stop. You are in a very demanding situation when entering these areas. It is critical that you understand and follow all state and local laws and regulations regarding approaching a school bus stop. This involves the proper use of mirrors, warning lights and stop arm. When approaching the stop you should:

Approach cautiously at a slow rate of speed. • Look for pedestrians, traffic, or other objects, before, during and after coming to a stop. • Continuously check all mirrors. • Activate amber warning lights approximately 300 feet before the bus stop. • Continuously check mirrors to monitor the danger zones for students, traffic, and other objects. • Move as far as possible to the right on the traveled portion of the roadway. • Bring the bus to a full stop with the front bumper at least 10 feet away from the students. This will force the students to walk to the bus so that you have a better view of their movements. • Place the transmission in PARK at each stop. • Open the service door, if possible, just enough to activate the red warning lights and stop arm when traffic is a safe distance from the bus. • Make a final check to see that all traffic has stopped before completely opening the door and signaling students to approach.

SAFE LOADING PROCEDURES Perform a safe stop as described in the previous slide. Students should wait in a designated location facing the bus as it approaches. Students should board the bus only when signaled by the driver. MonitorALL mirrors continuously. Students should form a line and load single file with no pushing.

Count the number of students at the stop and be sure all board the bus. • Have the students board the bus SLOWLY in single file, and use the handrail. The interior lights should be on when loading in the dark. • Wait until students are seated and facing forward before moving the bus. • Check ALL MIRRIORS. Make sure no one is running to catch the bus. • When all students are properly seated, prepare to leave by:

Closing the door. • Engaging the transmission • Releasing the parking brake. • Turning on left turn signal. • Allowing congested traffic to disperse. • Checking ALL MIRRORS again. When it issafe, move the bus to enter traffic flow and continue the route. • When students are loading at the school you should: • Turn off the ignition switch. • Remove the key if you have to leave the bus • Check students boarding your bus for proper routes, unauthorized objects, etc.

Geting off the bus

Unloading Procedures • Perform a safe stop at designated location as previously described. • Have students remain seated until told to exit. • Check ALL MIRRORS. • Count the number of students while unloading to confirm the location of all students before pulling away from the stop. • Tell students to exit the bus and walk at least 10 feet away from the side of the bus to a position where you can plainly see all students. • Check ALL MIRRORS again. Make sure no students are around or returning to the bus. • If you cannot account for a student, secure the bus and check around and underneath the bus. • When all students are accounted for, prepare to leave by:

Closing the door. • Engaging the transmission • Releasing the parking brake. • Turning on left turn signal. • Allowing congested traffic to disperse. • Checking ALL MIRRORS again. When it is safe, move the bus, enter the traffic flow and continue the route. Note: If you miss a student’s drop-off stop, DO NOT BACK-UP. You must circle back around and drop the student off at their location.

Additional procedures for students that must cross the roadway. You must know what students should do when exiting a school bus and crossing the street in front of the bus. In addition you must understand that students might not always do what they are supposed to do. If a student must cross the roadway, they should follow these procedures: • Walk approximately 10 feet away from the side of the bus to a position where you can see them. • Walk to a location a least 10 feet in front of the right corner of the bumper, but still remaining away from the front of the bus. • Stop at the right edge of the roadway. You should be able to see the student’s feet.

When the student reaches the edge of the roadway, they should: • Stop and look in all directions, making sure the roadway is clear and safe. • Check to see if the red warning lights on the bus are still flashing. • Wait for your signal before crossing the roadway. Upon your signal the student should: • Cross far enough in front of the bus to be in your view. • Walk to the left edge of the bus, stop, and look again for your signal to cross the roadway. • Look in both directions to make sure traffic is clear before proceeding across the roadway.

Always Cross In Front

Special Dangers of Loading & Unloading The Top Three SN Discuss the Danger Zone

Dropped or forgotten objects: Always focus on students as they approach the bus and watch for any who disappear from sight. Students may drop an object near the bus during loading or unloading. Stopping to pick up the object, may cause the student to disappear from the driver’s sight at a very dangerous moment. Students should be told to leave any dropped object and move to a point of safety out of the danger zone and attempt to get the driver’s attention to retrieve the object.

Handrail Hang-ups:Students have been injured or killed when clothing, accessories, or even parts of their body get caught in the handrail or door as they exited the bus. You should closely observe all students exiting the bus to confirm that they are in a safe location prior to moving the bus. Crossing behind the bus:Do not allow students to go behind the bus before crossing the roadway.

The Most Important Rule • CHECK YOUR BUS BEFOREYOU RETURN TO THE YARD. • No child should be left on board your vehicle after you finish your drop-off.

“Synopsis”Young children are most at riskwhen they are getting on or off a bus. Why? • Young children are impulsive and easily distracted, they often act without paying attention to their surroundings. • They are short - easily hidden from the driver’s view in the Danger Zones around the bus. • Their hearing and vision are not fully developed. SN

Attendant’s Role in Preventing a Loading or Unloading Tragedy • Reducing onboard distractions to the bus driver • Escorting children on and off the bus • Teaching children loading and unloading safety procedures Attendants can prevent a tragedy by: SN

Safe Loading Proceduresin the Morning • Teach children to wait in single file, back from the road • Children are safer when there is someone there to escort them onto the bus. If no one is there, special attention must be given to the child while they are boarding the bus. • Why? Children can be sluggish and un-attentive during the early morning, lending themselves to careless actions

Children are safer if there is someone there To escort them off the bus. If no one is there Special attention must be given to the child When they are disembarking from the bus. Why? Safe Unloading Procedures in the Afternoon If they have to cross the road • Scan the bus stop for potential dangers before disembarking • Both attendant and child should check carefully for approaching vehicles that might pass the bus • student should make eye contact with driver, and wait for driver’s signal After having to sit still in class all day, children tend to be excited and more active, they are more likely to bolt and run from the bus

In Conclusion • In every crash involving a child being struck by a school bus, driver error was indicated: the driver “lost” the child during loading or unloading. If the driver had done the job correctly, the student wouldn’t have been struck. SN

Your job as a school bus driver is a demanding one 1. You have to drive a large vehicle in all kinds of weather and traffic conditions 2. You have to manage the students on the bus 3. You have to contend with the other drivers on the road 4. And you have to work with parents and teachers and school officials and each other But the greatest challenge you have is getting your students on and off the bus safely Loading and unloading is the most dangerous time for a school bus driver and for students

1. On average, each year 33 school-age children die in school bus-related crashes 2. Nearly two-thirds of school-age children (about 26) killed in school bus-related crashes each year are killed outside the bus And, two-thirds of that 26 (about 15) are killed by school buses 3. Half of all school-age pedestrians killed in school bus-related crashes are 5-7 years old

4. The principal point of impact is the front of the bus And most are killed during the day in clear weather That’s pretty scary In most cases, students are killed or injured by their own bus And, not only is the driver legally responsible, but he or she will have to live with that experience for a lifetime

Bus Safety Program