STOP-ARM SAFETY FORUM
Student transportation providers are the caretakers of more than 26 million kids to and from school every day , and there is perhaps no greater threat to those kids ’ lives than cars illegally passing stopped school buses . “ Illegal passing is defined as at least one motorist passing a school bus with its federally mandated stop arm deployed and red lights flashing when picking up or dropping off students ,” said Mike Martin , executive director of the NAPT . According to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services ( NASDPTS ) more than 131,900 school bus drivers in 39 states and the District of Columbia reported 95,494 incidents of illegal passing in ONE DAY last year . “ If that happened every school day , it would add up to more than 17 million times in a school year ,” Martin said . “ That ' s just ridiculous .”
The NAPT and NASDPTS co-sponsor the Zip . Zero . Nada . None . campaign aimed at eliminating school transportation-related fatalities entirely by 2025 . There is an average of nearly 15 school transportation-related fatalities each school year , and approximately five of those yearly deaths involve students being struck by passing motorists .
“ The fact that there are , on average , fewer than six fatalities caused by cars illegally passing stopped school buses each year must mean we are doing something right ,” Martin said . “ But we cannot be lulled into complacency . We must keep striving to find a better way to prevent fatalities caused by cars that illegally pass a stopped school bus .”
16 | SCHOOL-BUSRIDE . COM | FEBRUARY 2021