Student behavior is onerous to manage and will risk the lives of other school bus passengers. However, the responsibility of school bus safety is in the hands of drivers. Henceforth, they should be able to curb that undesirable behavior on the school bus.
Let's have a glimpse of the issues of unacceptable behavior in detail:
How Coarse Behavior Affect the School Bus Safety?
Of course, school bus drivers have an immense responsibility towards the safety of students. Hence, students should not be permitted to play, clamor, or pace once the school bus is mobile.
Why?
This will distract drivers and cause accidents or injuries to students and other road users.
As a responsible school bus driver, you should be able to maintain proper discipline among students and thereby reduce the accident risk. Consequently, you can memorize the following safety points:
- Heed the school bus driving and aware of the oncoming dangers on the road
- Remember, you will be the prime authority inside a school bus and hence maintain a proper school bus behavior among students
When an adverse circumstance occurs, consider the practice mentioned below:
- Steer the bus to the roadside and stop if necessary. It is wise to proceed whenever an argument or scuffle is happening on the school bus. Presumably, it will result in adverse effects, such as devastation, injury, or even mortality
- Stop the bus and provide rigid instructions to unruly students
- If necessary, the driver can sternly construe safety quotations and affirm the outcome of coarse behavior on the school bus
Reinforcing the Rules of Conduct
By enforcing the safety procedure, you will be able to evade the unruly behavior of students. As a matter of fact, students should realize the relevance of rules and oblige it willingly.
Furthermore, students should be aware of the fact that rules are contrived for their own safety. As a driver, you can commit the following actions if you witness a student violating rules:
- First and foremost, stop the school bus to the road side
- Secondly, intercede promptly
- Identify the rule-breaker and convince the fact that he/she threatened the safety of whole students in the school bus
- Admonish the lawbreaker, which attributes warning to other students
Rapport with the School Management
As mentioned earlier, a school bus driver is the supreme authority on the school bus. But, you will never bear responsibility alone.
Meanwhile, there is a school management that supports your decisions and provides guidance to your trip. Creating a school bus safety team can be a brilliant notion.
For instance, the team comprises the school principal, counsellors, psychologists, teachers, teaching staffs, and coaches.
In fact, this team can regulate school bus safety predicaments and constitute reasonable decision for the school transportation services. Hence, the school bus drivers can seek the assistance of the safety team and thus control the school bus violation effectively.
Necessity of Early Intervention
Strangely enough, a majority of students become aggressive almost unexpectedly. Hence, whenever you spot a student with such a weird transformation, recognize, and resolve it hastily.
Here follows the procedures that can be attempted for settling the concerns mentioned above:
- Communicate with the student and identify what’s bothering them. Nevertheless, realize the fact that children will never share their personal issues to an outsider
- Have an acquaintance with the distressed student's close friends and recognize the dilemma
- If you confirm or notices the hassle, report instantly to the relevant authority
Administrative Support for School Bus Drivers
It is wise to collaborate with the administrative team. No doubt, with the administrative support, you can provide punishment to students justly.
Whenever a particular student violates the rule, you can punish them according to the decision of the administrative team.
Hence, the other students realize the consequences of violating rules, whoever the student is, and consequently follow safety rules without further hesitation.
Installation of Video Surveillance Cameras on the School Bus
- Authorities can install cameras on the school bus
- Can be utilized as a tool in disciplinary meetings for students and circulate it as a training material for other drivers
- Cameras provide an awareness regarding the essential safety rules and the way it is violated by the students
- Students should recognize that cameras will provide sufficient evidence to those who violate the safety rules and cannot escape from its consequences
- Footage displays the date and time by which violation took place and thus trapping the agitator completely
Planning Ahead to Prevent Future Problems
- Treat students with care and respect in the bus and involve them in establishing guidelines in bus and to solve issues that happen in the bus.
- Communicate with the driver regarding their concerns and ask the students directly to solve it.
- Include students in discussions regarding safety guidelines, issues, bus driver responsibilities and invite brainstorming for solutions to each concern.
In conclusion, students should be taught that a school bus is the extension of the classroom. And henceforth, the proper school bus discipline should also be maintained accordingly.
Moreover, it is the responsibility of everyone to safeguard the students and the technology can provide an immense assistance to this concern.
