School buses arguably transport the most valuable cargo in the world. Bus drivers are responsible for getting children to and from school safely every day. For the most part, mass transportation to public educational institutions is a highly-successful state service.
School buses reduce traffic congestion and decrease the likelihood of impaired or distracted parents causing collisions as they get their children to or from school. Unfortunately, school bus crashes can occur. They can put children in the hospital or worse.
Safety standards help reduce the likelihood of school bus crashes. The following rules commonly help protect school buses.
1. Special licensing requirements
School buses require more than a standard driver’s license to operate. School bus drivers have to obtain a commercial driver’s license. As such, they are subject to a thorough background check and very high standards regarding their driving performance on the job and in their personal vehicle. The goal is to screen out people who have a history of unsafe driving and to suspend or revoke licenses granted to people who engage in unsafe behavior, including drunk driving.
2. Unique traffic standards
The rules for vehicles approaching school buses are unique. Generally speaking, vehicles cannot stop or stand on busy streets. However, school buses may stop at very unpredictable locations to drop off or pick up students. As such, there are laws that require drivers to leave adequate space around school buses and that forbid passing buses with flashing lights illuminated or stop signs extended from the edge of the vehicle.
Drivers also generally need to maintain an appropriate following distance behind school buses, given how frequently they stop. If all drivers consistently follow these rules, the chances of a bus crash occurring decrease.
3. Safety-oriented design features
Many people question the safety of school buses. They may point to the lack of individual safety restraints as a concern. With exceptions for school buses transporting children with special needs, most buses do not have individual restraints for occupants. Instead, the overall design of the school bus helps eliminate the need for seat belts.
The relatively close quarters inside a school bus, combined with the design of the backs of the seats, make ejection from the vehicle and other extreme injuries unlikely. Buses also feature a variety of design elements intended to diminish the force of impact if a crash occurs.
Unfortunately, even with special training, unique design and enhanced traffic regulations, bus crashes are still somewhat common. Parents in need of compensation after a school bus crash or similar incident may require help. Learning more about the law is often the first step toward justice after a municipal vehicle, like a school bus, causes injuries to members of the public.