Best Resistant System Solution For School Buses

A study was conducted to compare the road safety record of the bus industries in the following countries – Canada, America, and Australia. It was found out that, bus accident rates to be benchmarked against other modes of transportation. It was seen that, school buses were far more safer than the public transportation system.

The primary objective of the study was to help the countries by highlighting the concerned areas. It was also aimed to identify the critical safety related issues. It also tries to offer refine information to the consumers and explore counter possibilities. It was seen that Canada was having a comparatively high bus fatality rates, especially among school and intercity buses. School bus accidents turned out to be three times more fatal compared to Canada and United States.

How Important Is To Follow School Bus Safety Rules?

A school bus is a bus used to transport children and adolescents to and from school safely. In fact, school buses are considered the safest and reliable mode of transportation for almost 25 million students (school-aged children) to school from their home and vice versa by covering almost 4.3 billion miles daily.

It is important to maintain the school bus safety rules and regulations which are usually laid down by Department Of Transportation (DOT) and are usually followed by the state or federal laws of the respective states. It needs to be followed in order to offer its occupants a safe journey. Not only that, it is also needed in order to provide protection and security to the students, especially toddlers and young kids from any type of injury.

School Bus Safety Issues Followed:

Usually, the school buses up to a certain extent comes under the regulation of the federal law. But in some places, like Florida, New York the state laws prevail. With proper safety measures safety and security of the passengers, mainly toddlers and young kids can be achieved. The school bus safety issues are usually identified in terms of the following aspects - school bus drivers, school bus design, equipment or technology used in buses, etc.

1. School Bus Drivers - The school-bus drivers should be properly trained to handle emergency situations and also to drive the childrens' safely to the desired location. If needed training should be provided to them regarding maneuvering the school buses safely.

2. School Bus Design - In Canada and United States, the school buses are designed specifically. This means they are usually built according to specified guidelines. They differ from other buses in its design, structure – as they come in brightly painted color and are specifically equipped. The school buses are painted “bright yellow” color for better visibility of other vehicles. They also come with flashing lights and traffic warning devices. Also they should have emergency brakes, exit doors, cushioned seats in them. They have a curved top surface.

3. Modern Technology In Buses – In this age of modernization, it is extremely important to adapt to modern technologies. School authorities are also complying with it by using modern gadgets for ensuring safety of the kids. Be it a GPRS tracking system or Child-Safety Restraints.

• Different Type Of School Bus Restraints - A revolutionary design in the form of school bus restraints that  one gets to see is “compartmentalization”. The premise behind it was to surround the passengers with padded cushions/ cushioning on the front and back portion. It can help in providing effective constraint in the event of a collision. Apart from compartmentalization, other restraint system that one gets to see in school buses are 'three-point belts'. Seat-belts are a strictly no for the school buses as it can cause injury to the passengers.

• Cargo Restraint System - In some cases, school bus services are used for field trips, various events – athletic or musical, excursion purposes. Carrying cargos along with young kids can be very risky, as it can hurt them or it might dislocate and fall from the location. A unique solution for this is “gear compartments” or cargo containers. They can secure the cargos from dislocating with the help of the anchor points and tight straps and can be fitted within the bus seats.

Ensuring Safety Of Cargo and Students In School Bus With Restraints

The Data

According to a survey conducted by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) it was found out that seat belts were absent from many school buses. This is the reason which led to many death of children in school bus crashes. The yellow school buses which transport the future of a nation are considered as the safest vehicles running on the highways and roads of the United States.

The Sad Picture

NHTSA found that the 'yellow buses' offer the “safest mode” for transporting children to school from home and vice versa. As accidents might happen, which can hurt the children or they can face other hazards. Statistics showed that the fatality rate of the school buses is 0.2 every 100 million miles traveled, in comparison to 1.5 for passenger cars. Almost 700-800 children die every year in a passenger vehicle during the school transportation hour. Though it might make you feel bad, but this is the sad reality.

According to Michael Martin who was the executive director of National Association for Pupil Transportation, in case of any accident with front impact the seat absorbs the impact and it distributes the impact over a child's upper torso.

Solution Considered

There is always a scope for improvement. School buses are usually designed exactly like an egg carton. The seats are closely placed with one another and are solidly anchored to the bus floor. Using various dimensions of school bus restraints can provide safety to children during the school bus transportation process. Going with appropriate restraint systems for children of all ages is essential in order to provide a long lasting solution.

Many manufacturers are now specializing in building safety restraints for the children as well as adults. Countless lives are saved with the help of these safety restraints. Not only that, it also helps in preventing thousands of injuries in the case of any accident or mishaps. The restraint system for school buses comes with special compatibility requirement.

What For Cargoes?

While you send your child to school, the first thing that strikes one's mind is the safety of the children. On many occasions, school buses carry cargo along with children's. Drivers needs to be extra careful during that moment. If a cargo is placed in the aisle it might overturn or may hurt a student. So, should the schools go for another vehicles to carry their cargoes.

Well, not necessarily. A true solution to carry cargo along with children is to avail school bus cargo containment solution. It is indeed an innovative idea for carrying goods safely along with the passengers who are mostly students. They are specifically designed for transporting cargo safely. They are adjustable according to the various type of bus configurations. They can easily fit within the bus enclosure and also provide protection to the travelers. These type of restraint system come with easy installation, protection, and quick securement.

To Sum Up

It does not matter, whether students or cargoes are being transported to school. All needs to be safe and secure. An effective restraint system in school buses can save both the children and cargo.