Drivers Asked to ‘Avoid Harm, Obey the Stop Arm’ During 43rd Annual National School Bus Safety Week

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ — The American School Bus Council asks drivers of passenger vehicles to ensure the continued safety of school bus transportation with National School Bus Safety Week, October 19-23, and the 2009 theme, Avoid Harm, Obey the Stop Arm. Educating parents about the proven safety of the school bus is another critical objective during the national observance as a recent survey from the Council found that 49 percent of parents incorrectly believe a car driven by an adult is the safest mode of transportation to get students to and from school.

“Parents deserve to be informed that the yellow school bus has been found by the National Academy of Sciences and U.S. Department of Transportation to be the safest way to transport students,” said William Tousley, National Association of Pupil Transportation president and American School Bus Council member. “And to further this safety record, we also need to remind drivers to obey the stop arm, which plays a critical role in protecting our students.”

Avoid Harm, Obey the Stop Arm reinforces the importance for drivers to follow the rules of the road and stop when the stop arm deploys, which includes red flashing lights and a stop sign, and children get on and off the bus. The stop arm requires drivers in all states to stop, but this traffic violation is a common occurrence as noted in studies conducted by numerous states.

The school bus is designed with more safety features, like the stop arm, than any other vehicle and the industry continually works to incorporate the latest safety technology, training and testing. Safety advancements include electronic trip check systems, which ensure buses are in proper working order before and after each trip through a tag inspection function, and GPS systems, which enable buses to be located in an emergency.

“Half the nation’s school children ride the yellow school bus and, as an industry, we make their safety our number one priority,” said Donald Fowler, National School Transportation president and American School Bus Council member. “National School Bus Safety Week allows us to inform people of the school bus’ safety record, showcase what we as an industry are doing to make school buses even safer and educate drivers everywhere on their role in keeping the school bus safe for our nation’s students.”

Helping school districts, teachers and parents promote this year’s theme and educate on school bus safety, the ASBC offers online resources, including quizzes, tips and coloring pages, at www.americanschoolbuscouncil.org. Activities are also scheduled in school districts nationwide to celebrate and educate.

About School Bus Safety Week

School Bus Safety Week was created in 1960, commemorated by Congress and the President in 1969 and recognized most recently by a congressional resolution in 2006. The goal of SBSW, which is sponsored each year by the National Association for Pupil Transportation, National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services and National School Transportation Association, is to emphasize the importance of a unified effort among students, parents and the motoring public to ensure a safe and secure ride for the nearly 26 million children who are transported daily on yellow school buses. This week also recognizes the hard work and dedication of school transportation professionals, especially the school bus drivers who ensure a safe journey for students daily. For more information about SBSW, visit www.napt.org.

About the American School Bus Council

The American School Bus Council is a coalition of the school transportation industry — including public and private transportation providers, school bus manufacturers and state officials responsible for pupil transportation. The Council is committed to providing safe, effective, efficient and healthy transportation for the more than 26 million schoolchildren who ride more than 480,000 school buses daily. The Council was formed in 2006 to educate parents, school officials and lawmakers about the essential role the yellow school bus plays in the lives and educational achievement of America’s schoolchildren. In 2007, the Council began implementing the annual national Love the Bus campaign each February to promote appreciation for the school bus and school bus drivers. For more information, visit www.americanschoolbuscouncil.org.

SOURCE American School Bus Council