Lighting the Way Results of an Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety (IIHS) study released last month finds drivers are more than three times likely to yield to pedestrians at illuminated crosswalks than at dark ones. Motor- ists are more than 13 times as likely to yield at lighted crosswalks that also include flashing yellow warning beacons. “These improvements could be espe- cially beneficial in areas near bus stops and schools because they not only see a lot of pedestrian traffic, but it’s likely those students and parents are walking in the dark during certain times of the year,” said Joe Young, an IIHS spokesman. School districts are seeing similar results in using the latest LED technology to illuminate their school buses and the paths students are using to and from their bus stop. The school transportation industry an-
ticipates a positive impact from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Stop for School Buses Act and the resulting Nation- al Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s report on school bus safety technology and laws to Congress, which is expected next year. Some of the solutions sure to be discussed by NHTSA include school bus lighting and signage. “A frequent response from individuals
stopped by law enforcement for stop-arm violations is, ‘I didn’t see it,’” said Andrew Gardner, a spokesman for the Gardian Angel. Increased school bus visibility is key in
addressing blind spots, low-light conditions, urban infrastructure obstacles, rural road conditions, aggressive driving, impaired driv- ing, and inclement weather challenges. Brett Kuchciak, specification and com-
pliance manager for First Light Safety Products, noted that advances in LED tech- nology allow the school bus lettering to be seen from over 1,000 feet away. Motorists approaching a stop arm see the
“Stop” messaging and can apply the proper ac- tion, he said, adding “a red octagon with white lettering is synonymous with a specific action.” Belinda Govich, Shenendehowa Central School District transportation director and
objects and individuals within 10 feet of the school bus front, back or passenger entry side with LED ground lights, radar units and cross-view mirror lights. Meanwhile, Gatekeeper’s
PHOTO COURTESY FIRST LIGHT SAFETY PRODUCTS
Operation Safe Stop Chairperson for the New York Association for Pupil Transporta- tion, said her state has an estimated 50,000 illegal passes a day. District bus drivers noted a reduction in illegal passes following a First Light Safety product test period. Students and parents commented on the sign’s brightness and visibility during both night and day. The Gardian Angel system, meanwhile, uti-
lizes white LED flood lights at the bus front to illuminate the path for students crossing the street and to enhance their visibility to oncoming motorists. The device, directed toward the ground,
activates when the school bus red lights are on and deactivates when the entrance door is shut. Twenty-six states permit its use. Also utilizing LED technology is Op- ti-Luxx, which offers accessory lights, beacons, license plate lights, marker lights, signage, signal lights, and warning lights designed to secure a 360-degree shield of bright lighting protection. The company’s 9-inch by 24-inch elon-
gated octagon red/amber driver alert sign illuminates with a red stop sign on the left, a red “Do Not Pass” message on the right and the words “Caution” and “Stopping” in amber in the middle. Safe Fleet’s Driver Alert Device flashes ‘Caution – Stopping’ on the rear emergency door when the bus slows down, activating eight-way lights. When the red lights are on and the stop arm is deployed, the panel flashes “Stop Do Not Pass.” Visible at more than 250 yards, the Safe Fleet Illuminated Stop Arm features a highly reflective decal and the word “STOP” backlit with LEDs.
– Carol Brzozowski
Pedestrian Protector uses AI-enhanced software to detect students in the Danger Zone and distinguish them from other objects. Abbot pointed out there is a lot that drivers have to pay attention to during the most danger- ous time for students during their commute—loading and unloading. “There are traffic and weath-
er conditions, foggy, rainy mornings when visibility is low. There are parents and the public standing around buses,” he shared.
When a bus stops outside
of a school, the video system automatically shows the ex- terior view, including nearby vehicles. It switches to curb- side view when pedestrians are nearby, identifying them with bounding boxes. Red boxes identify pedes- trians within 10 feet. Yellow boxes identify those 10 to 20 feet away. The left display uses AI-enabled software to identify pedestrian hazards. The right display records video of chil- dren exiting the bus, standing at the curb, crossing in front of the bus, and crossing the street. Pedestrian Protector is
designed to ignore vehicles, signs and stationary objects, concentrating on pedestrians near the bus. Gatekeeper spokeswoman
Heather Urquhart said drivers can choose a full 360-degree view, “but a lot of times they want more where there’s blind spots for the driver. They can have the choice to have an au- dible sound. The driver sees on
24 School Transportation News • SEPTEMBER 2024
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