School Bus Accidents: Prevention & Safety Measures

Recent years have witnessed a concerning increase in school bus accidents across the globe. According to the National Safety Council, school bus crashes have costed more than 100 lives across the nation in 2021. These incidents not only cost young lives but also raises safety concerns for school transportation. Parents’ trust in the school’s ability to keep their children safe also gets severely undermined.

Yet, in the face of this challenge, there exists hope – in taking proactive preventive steps and firm safety measures. In this blog, we will explore the underlying causes of school bus accidents and the preventive measures that must be undertaken.

Common Causes of School Bus Accidents

School bus accidents are caused due to overspeeding, driver negligence, poor weather conditions, poor vehicle maintenance, and more. Let’s understand them in detail:

• Overspeeding: School bus accidents can occur due to driver exceeding speed limits, as suggested by the school authorities. This increases the risk of losing control over the vehicle, especially in case of congested roads and curved areas.

• Driver Negligence: Negligent actions such as distracted driving, fatigue, or failure to follow traffic rules contribute significantly to school bus accidents. Lack of attention to surroundings and road conditions can lead to collisions or other mishaps.
• Vehicle Breakdown: Mechanical failures or malfunctions in school buses, such as brake failures or engine issues, can unexpectedly occur and result in accidents. This poses a threat to the safety of students and other travelers as well.
• Poor Weather Conditions: Adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain, snow, or fog can reduce visibility, making it challenging for drivers to ride safely.
• Improper Boarding & Deboarding: Inadequate procedures for loading and unloading students from school buses can lead to accidents. Lack of supervision of students can increase the risk of mishappenings.
• Poor Road Conditions: The condition of roads, including potholes, uneven surfaces, or construction zones, can contribute to school bus accidents. Unexpected obstacles on the road may lead to loss of control over the vehicle or collisions with other vehicles.

Safety Tips for School Transport Teams to Prevent Accidents

• Regular Vehicle Maintenance: Ensure that all school buses undergo routine maintenance checks to keep them in optimal condition. This includes checking brakes, tires, lights, and other essential components.
• Driver Training: Provide thorough training for all drivers, including defensive driving techniques, handling emergency situations, and understanding traffic laws and regulations. Ensure that drivers hold valid commercial driver’s licenses (CDL) with appropriate endorsements.
• Technology Integration: Leverage technology tools such as school bus management software to ensure safe student transportation. These tools enable live tracking, speed alerts, route optimization, and more, making student transportation more efficient and safer. It will help schools ensure student safety by enabling real-time updates using automation.
• Safe Loading and Unloading Zones: Designate safe loading and unloading zones for school buses at each stop, away from traffic and potential hazards. Ensure that students have clear paths to board and exit the bus safely.
• Student Supervision: Assign designated attendants to supervise students during boarding, transit, and deboarding. Maintain order and discipline among students to prevent distractions and ensure safety.
• Emergency Preparedness: Equip school buses with emergency kits, including first aid supplies, fire extinguishers, reflective vests, and emergency contact information. Conduct regular drills to practice emergency procedures with drivers and students. Make them familiar with evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. Also, by onboarding a technology partner you can equip attendants with SOS alerts on mobile applications. They can trigger this in emergency situations to seek immediate help.
• Weather Monitoring: Stay informed about weather conditions and forecasts to anticipate potential hazards such as heavy rain, snow, or fog. Adjust routes or schedules accordingly to ensure safe student transportation.

Safety Tips for Drivers to Prevent School Bus Accidents

• Pre-Trip Inspections: Before starting the route, thoroughly inspect the school bus to ensure it’s in proper working condition. This includes checks for brakes, lights, signals, emergency exits, and more.
• Continuous Training and Education: Stay updated on the latest safety protocols, regulations, and best practices through regular training sessions. Be familiar with evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. Regularly conduct drills with students to practice these procedures.
• Adhere to Traffic Rules: Strictly follow speed limits, traffic signals, and all other traffic regulations. Remember, drivers are responsible for the safety of the children on board.
• Maintain Safe Distance: Keep a safe distance from other vehicles, especially when stopping or slowing down to pick up or drop off children. 
• Be Vigilant at Bus Stops: Watch for children approaching the bus stops and remain alert for any hazards or obstacles that could pose a risk to their safety.
• Ensure Proper Supervision: Attendants must maintain order and discipline among students while the bus is in motion. Ensure that students remain seated and refrain from disruptive behavior that could cause any distraction.
• Rest and Wellness: Drivers must be encouraged to prioritize adequate rest, hydration, and nutrition to maintain alertness and focus while on the road. Schools must implement policies to prevent driver fatigue and stress.

Role of Technology to Avoid & Handle School Bus Accidents

Nowadays schools are using technologies like GPS to track the real-time location of school buses. In fact, as per CBSE guidelines, GPS is mandatory for all school buses. However, it is not enough when it comes to ensuring ultimate student safety. Limitations of GPS such as lack of driver monitoring, parental engagement, connectivity issues, and more still raise concerns for student safety.

Here, advanced tools like school bus management systems can help schools make student transit safer. Live tracking, speed alerts, SOS alerts, reporting, etc., can significantly mitigate the risk of accidents, along with simplifying school bus fleet management.

• Live Tracking & Route Optimization: With real-time tracking, schools can monitor the location of school buses, ensuring they stay on the designated routes and adhere to schedules. Additionally, schools can also optimize routes for efficiency, reducing the risk of accidents caused by long or congested routes.
• Speed Alerts: One of the primary causes of school bus accidents is overspeeding. School transport software tackles this issue with its speeding alert functionality. With live tracking the system continuously monitors the speed of the school bus in real-time and smartly detects if it is overspeeding. School admins can also generate instant speeding reports to analyze which drivers are frequently violating the speed limit.
• SOS Alert: In the unfortunate event of an accident or emergency, the ability to respond swiftly can be a matter of life and death. A school bus fleet management software equips attendants with an SOS alert feature, serving as a lifeline in such situations. With a single click of a button, attendants can trigger SOS alerts from their apps to ask for immediate help. This functionality can make a significant difference in the outcome of an accident.
• Reports & Analytics: Schools can pull out instant reports for speed violations, SOS, and route adherence. This helps them analyze driver performance and identify the need of training to ensure safe student commutes.

Conclusion:

School bus accidents are a grave concern that affects the safety of students and the reputation of schools. The impact of these incidents can be far-reaching, both in terms of human lives and financial liabilities. However, technology offers a proactive solution to address this issue.

In a world where school bus accidents are an unfortunate reality, technology provides a ray of hope. By embracing innovative solutions like school bus management software, we can work together to ensure the well-being of the next generation.