TOP STORY
Ohio Pilot Project May Produce Solution to Stop Arm Dilemma
By Art Gissendaner Several transportation directors in Ohio think they may have
found an effective, preventive measure for stop arm violations, and it has nothing to do with taking photos or increasing pen- alties. Tey’ve been testing flashing “supplemental warning lights” that they say are more effective in getting the attention of motorists. Now, some are reporting marked reductions in stop arm violations. “We installed them in March and ran them in April and May,”
said Joe Kahl, transportation director for the Sylvania School Dis- trict in Toledo. “We did a survey before and after. Te numbers came down about 60 or 70 percent. Te (incident) numbers were not huge, but the percentages are. What my drivers noticed a lot was the awareness of the drivers.” Kahl said the increased awareness by motorists is probably be-
cause the LED lights are multi-colored and very bright. Tey are also installed just above the school bus bumper in the front and rear, which is at eye level for most approaching motorists. Te nor- mal flashers rest at a height of 10 feet. “Tey alternate red and white, and they are extremely bright,
even in the daytime,” Kahl said. “At night they just jump right off the bumper of the bus. We put them on three different buses. We are at the point where we are re-budgeting to buy the lights. Lights are a lot less expensive than the cameras.” Te Columbus City School District, Akron City Schools, the
Southeast Local School District and Norton City Schools also par- ticipated in the four-month pilot. Te idea originated from Ohio State Director of Pupil Trans-
portation Pete Japikse, who said his suggestion was to basically make sure warning lights were flashing where drivers could best see them. “Te traditional lights on school buses are above the line of sight
for most drivers,” Japikse said. “Tey have so many distractions. I wanted to put some kind of visible indicators at eye level.” Paul Stoneking, Kahl’s counterpart at Norton City Schools, said
he saw a noticeable reduction in stop arm violations on one espe- cially problematic route. “I would say the violations on that particular bus dropped a
minimum of 75 percent,” Stoneking said. “I can’t attribute it to any- thing else. Te lights are effective because these things are hitting drivers dead-on in their eyes. It is so dead-on and so dramatic and bright, there is just no way they can’t see it.” He added that the lights are even more visible the farther back a
motorist is from the bus. Stoneking said another feature that adds to the lights’ effectiveness is they do not blink in any specific order.
22 School Transportation News Magazine August 2012
Ohio student transporters are now allowed per state standards to install auxiliary LED lights, seen just above the bumper, to warn motorists of school buse that are loading and unloading students.
Stoneking, who is also a member of the state School Bus Con- struction Standards Committee, added that the reports from the school districts were so positive that the supplemental warning lights are now an “approved option” on school buses, even though the lights are still in the testing phase and not yet on the market. “Everyone had dramatic, positive results,” Stoneking said. “All
the feedback was very positive.” Mike Gaborcik, school bus segment manager for Weldon Light-
ing, said his company developed the supplemental warning lights according to specifications given to him by Japikse and the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which runs the state construction standards committee along with transportation directors, vendors and man- ufacturers. Gaborcik pointed out that passenger vehicles are lower to the ground and motorists are usually looking at the road or just above it. “Pete (Japikse) and the highway patrol came up with the col-
ors and chose a flash pattern that is different than the warning lights above,” Gaborcik noted. “Te lights only come on when the stop arm is deployed. We’re not trying to confuse the drivers with more red lights; we’re just trying to get their attention to prevent a tragedy. He wanted it to be eye catching. And it seems everybody believes it has had an impact.” Gaborcik said his company has provided a performance-based
specification for the supplemental warning lights. He added that the lights are approved in Ohio for retrofits and new buses, and Weldon will produce the lights for the market as orders are received. Japikse said a number of Ohio school districts have already ex- pressed an interest in the lights. ■
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