INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS
bus, spinning it around until it struck a utility pole. Also of note were findings that the fatally and severely injured passengers were seated in the back half of the school bus in the area of greater impact and that some students either wore their lap belts improperly or not at all. Victim Isabelle Tezsla was most likely unbelted. “School buses are
£ National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman said school buses are inherently safe with or without seat belts. But when buses are equipped with the safety restraints, they must be used correctly.
NTSB CITES BUS DRIVER IMPAIRMENT, OTHER FACTORS IN FATAL N.J. BUS CRASH
in late July regarding two fatal bus collisions last year: the first in Chesterfield, N.J., on Feb. 16, 2012, and the second in Port St. Lucie, Fla., one month later. Each accident resulted in the death of one child passenger and caused severe injuries to other students. Te NTSB’s in-depth
T
investigation found that bus-driver impairment played a larger role in the New Jersey school bus accident than previously be-
he National Transportation Safety Board released findings
lieved. Driver John Tieman, 66, had “reduced vigilance” due to acute sleep loss, poor sleep quality and sedative side effects from his use of prescription medications. In addition, NTSB said he failed to disclose vital infor- mation about his medical condition and a complete list of current medications. Tere were 25 elementary students on the Chesterfield school bus when it collided with a dump truck that investigators reported was overloaded and traveling in excess of the 45-mph speed limit. Te front of the truck slammed the left rear of the
28 School Transportation News September 2013
extremely safe without any sort of belt system on them. It is only in these severe cases where you see a school bus that is hit by another very large vehicle, where you are going to need something additional, and that is where we see that the properly worn lap belts are beneficial and the harness makes them safer,” stated NTSB Chair- man Deborah Hersman in her opening remarks. Te NTSB requested that
NAPT, NSTA, NASDPTS, the School Bus Manufac- turer’s Technical Council and the National Safety Council’s School Trans- portation Section provide association members with educational materials on lap-shoulder belts, which offer “the highest level of protection for school bus passengers.” Te board asked the organizations to advise states and/or school districts to consider this type of belt, rather than lap belts, when purchasing seat belt–equipped school buses. In response to the guidance, NAPT, NSTA and NASDPTS issued statements in support of NTSB’s findings. NAPT Executive Director Mike Martin added that NTSB’s information is “essential” for state and local policymakers because the analysis and guidance “was based on data and science rather than emotions.”
Senate Committee Votes to Increase Head Start, Preschool Funding for FY2014 Te Senate Committee on
Appropriations approved a $1.6-billion expansion of the federal Head Start program in response to President Obama’s State-of-the-Union speech, which called for increased funding of national preschool education earlier this year. Te Senate Subcommittee on Labor Health and Human Services, Educa- tion and Related Agencies Appropria- tions on July 9 approved the FY 2014 funding increase through the Early Head Start–Child Care Partnerships to serve more infants and toddlers, and to maintain current Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Te full commit- tee later approved the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education bill to fund Head Start at more than $9.6 billion. “With expanded financial com- mitment to the success of America’s at-risk children, Washington will move America towards greater opportuni- ty and a brighter economic future,” commented Yasmina Vinci, NHSA’s executive director. But she added that the federal sequester that took effect in March continues to “inflict very real and dev- astating pain. Retroactive to the begin- ning of the year, the federal Head Start program faced a 5-percent reduction, or $400 million. NHSA said these cuts to local agencies could reduce program services, including transportation for about 70,000 young children. Te Senate Committee also
approved $750 million for preschool development grants per Obama’s “Pre- school for All” proposal, which expands or creates high-quality preschools for 4-year-old children from low- and moderate-income families. Also in July, Head Start and Early
Head agencies nationwide were presented with an opportunity to win one of 123 grants designed to improve quality and accountability of services.
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