In 2015 , after working for many years at the Illinois Department of Transportation ( IDOT ), Daniel Thompson said he saw a desperate need for increased stop-arm safety . “ Riding the school bus is incredibly safe – easily the safest way for kids to get to and from school ,” he said . “ But until we can completely eliminate all school bus related fatalities , we must continue to innovate .” Citing the national average of nearly 15 children killed each year – as well as the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services ’ ( NASDPTS ) 2019 survey which indicated that more than 17 million stop-arm violations occur in America each year – Thompson said he believes the answer lies in preventive technology . Thompson said he was skeptical of the proactive benefits from stop-arm cameras . Districts should do everything in their power to stop violations before they happen , he said , and not just retroactively punish offenders . “ I think cameras are great technology for enforcement , but I am not sure they have been proven to stop offenses ,” he said . “ We need to stop these incidents before they happen in order to save lives .”
Developing BusGates Working with longtime friend and business partner Jeff Stauffer , Thompson patented a polycarbon stop-arm extension outfitted with LED lights . The four-foot-long stop-arm attaches to the existing stop sign and extends far into the roadway — visible from about a mile away — to deter increasingly distracted motorists from passing .
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