Use of school buses to transport students from home to school is a century old practice and a very safe one too. From the "Kid Hacks" of the early 19th century to the "Class A" giants, the advance in safety and security has been remarkable.
With latest technologies and a number of laws, the concern of school bus accidents has been addressed effectively.
There have been minor glitches in school bus transportation over time. But technologies such as the GPS and RFID have made school buses the safest mode of transport for students.
Statistics show that they are 7 times safer than a family car, 31 times safer than walking to school and 288 times safer than cycling to school.
So what would you prefer? If all this information hasn't convinced you, there is more! It is a fact that the modern day school buses use more technologies than your average car.
Technologies That Made School Buses the Safe Mode of Transport for Kids
- The use of Kid Hacks to carry children from home to school and back dates back to as early as the 1930s. Even though they were not a technological marvel, the idea of school kids being safely transported in a closed vehicle gave parents a sense of relief. More over it prevented the kids from walking long distances and hence keeping them fresh for school.
- With a new age came new challenges. Time was crucial and the then popular carts were slow as they were drawn by horses. This led to the replacement of these horse-drawn wooden carts with automobiles. The invention of the automobile engine was a technology that sparked a huge change in the outlook of school buses.
- With increase in the number of automobiles on road, the issues of road accidents were becoming a menace. This forced the school bus manufacturing companies to focus more on the safety measures on board a school bus. As part of this, the wooden vehicle body was replaced by all metal ones.
- To further add to the safety, guard rails and shatter-proof glasses were used on these buses.
- Followed by this, strobe lights, reflective strips and even seat belts were introduced.
- Safety was the primary concern when technologies such as speed monitors and CCTV cameras were brought into the school buses. This made monitoring the driver and his driving habits very easy.
- The next big technological advancement came in the form of school bus GPS tracking systems and Wi-Fi enabled buses. GPS made tracking buses and monitoring drivers even easier. The routes could be planned before a trip and made sure that the buses followed these paths. Also, documentation was made easy with real-time monitoring.
- In an age where parents have very less to no time at all because of a tight work related schedule, a GPS tracker helps them keep an eye on their kids from anywhere on the planet. All they need is a hand-held mobile phone with a school bus tracking software that helps them with the tracking.
Laws Which Help Tackle Accidents
Have you ever wondered why school buses always come in yellow? The answer is quite simple. This has been made an international standard and is used so that other drivers may easily identify these buses. There are numerous similar laws in place to protect school buses from accidents. Some of them are given below.
- Other vehicles must maintain a minimum distance from a school bus and must also slow down when in a school zone.
- Other drivers must wait for the school buses to load and unload.
- The words “School Bus” must be shown in front as well as behind the school bus.
- The driver of a school bus must follow a strict code of conduct. They must drive the buses within the specified speed limits and should refrain from driving under the influence of drug or alcohol.
- The drivers should also avoid making unnecessary stops.
- Buses that use CCTV cameras must preserve the video footages for a span of at least 3 months.
Apart from keeping students safe, technologies have also helped in many other ways. Pollution – a major concern for the new world is controlled to some extent by bringing technology into transportation.
The use of electric or propane-based school buses has helped reduce the number of personal vehicles on the road. The above mentioned aspects can indeed prove that school buses are the safest mode of transport for students.
