School Bus Safety

It's back to school time, and this year 25.1 million children will ride to school in 474,000 school buses in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

2010-09-30

September 30, 2010 (Press-News.org) It's back to school time, and this year 25.1 million children will ride to school in 474,000 school buses in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). While school buses are safer than other passenger vehicles, there are specific laws in place to prevent bus related accidents.

According to the NHTSA, between 1998 and 2008 there were 414,399 fatal motor vehicle crashes, of which only 0.34 percent were classified as school transportation related. Buses are safer than smaller passenger vehicles, due primarily to their size. Passengers and drivers in cars and trucks are the most likely to sustain injuries when in an accident with a bus. Of the 1,564 people that died from school transportation related accidents between 1998 and 2008, 72 percent were occupants of other vehicles.

However, children are also injured and killed in bus related accidents. NHTSA research shows 8 school bus passengers die and 8,000 are injured every year. Of the injuries, 42 percent are sustained in crashes and 24 percent are sustained while children board or exit the bus.

Drivers should be aware of the laws that apply while driving in a school zone or near a school bus. School zones are marked areas surrounding schools with a reduced speed limit, usually 15 or 20 mph. Some school zones will have pedestrian crossings, and all drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and obey any school crossing guards.

It is illegal to pass a school bus when the stop sign is extended and the red lights are flashing. These signs mean that children are getting on or off the bus and will be in or near the street. Flashing yellow lights mean that the bus is preparing to stop and that all drivers should slow down.

Drivers must stop at least ten feet behind the school bus. If there are less than four lanes of traffic, both directions of traffic must stop. If there are more than four lanes of traffic or if the road is divided only the traffic traveling in the same direction as the bus must stop.

Children and drivers should be aware of buses' danger zone. Due to the size of a school bus, the bus driver cannot see everything within ten feet of the bus. Children should be taught to always walk at least ten feet away from the bus in every direction and to always cross in front of the bus.

Driving cautiously and obeying the laws will help to prevent devastating accidents.

Article provided by Rhonda R. Crabtree, Attorney at Law
Visit us at www.rcrabtreelaw.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

The Illinois Tort Immunity Act and the Death of Michael Langford, Jr.

2010-09-30

The Illinois Tort Immunity Act shields local governments and employees of government agencies from liability for ordinary negligence committed in the course of their duties. But the shield is not a blank check for wrongdoing. Government agencies and their employees can be held liable for any act or omission that constitutes willful and wanton misconduct. The death of 5-year-old Michael Langford, Jr., in May raises the issue of willful and wanton misconduct in a very compelling way. On Mother's Day 2010, Kathie La Fond worked a double shift, getting off of work at approximately ...

Judging Corrupt Judges in Georgia

2010-09-30

At the heart of the American justice system are the concepts of fairness and impartiality, especially on the part of juries and judges. Judges generally have reputations for knowing the law and applying it justly to the situations and defendants before them. So, what happens when the judges are the ones acting inappropriately? Following a string of scandals and corrupt practices involving multiple judges in Georgia, the way people in the state view judges is currently under careful review. A Very Thin Line There seems to be a very thin line between the judge's ...

HP Lawsuit Filed Against Former CEO Will Meet Significant Obstacles

2010-09-30

Former Hewlett-Packard (HP) Chief Executive Officer Mark Hurd has made national headlines once again with the announcement that, after his firing from HP, he will join Oracle Corp., the world's second largest software company, as a president and board member. This announcement comes just a month after Hurd's public departure from HP following allegations that he violated standards of business conduct. As Business Week reports, this is an excellent move for both Hurd and Oracle. Oracle is shifting its focus from software to hardware, and Hurd has experience with both. ...

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What It Means For You

2010-09-30

The recent financial meltdown revealed problems within the financial system, especially for consumers, which is why Congress passed new legislation intended to safeguard financial transactions and stabilize the entire industry. The Frank-Dodd Act creates an entirely new federal agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is designed to protect consumers from shady or fraudulent transactions and will oversee all financial companies, including banks, credit unions and private mortgage firms that do business with the public. The act will create or improve rules ...

New DUI Law Allows for 10 Year Revocations for Repeat Offenders

2010-09-30

William Scott Simon, of Belmont, was sent to prison late last year after being convicted for his eighth DUI, stemming from a January 2009 incident. Mr. Simon previously had his license suspended in 2004 after his seventh DUI conviction, but his license was eventually reinstated. While considered an extreme case, it prompted state Assemblyman Jerry Hill to author Assembly Bill 1601, which would allow judges to revoke the licenses of habitual DUI offenders for 10 years. This new law would apply to people who have three or more convictions within a 10 year period. Current ...

Dog Owners Feel The Bite Of Higher Insurance Costs

2010-09-30

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year in the United States 4.7 million people are victims of dog bites. Of those people attacked about 900,000 are forced to seek medical attention. In this unfortunate situation, the responsibility for the attack falls squarely on the dog's owner. If found responsible, the owner could be required to pay for the victim's medical costs and lost wages. Insurance Companies pay the majority of these claims, and are passing the increased costs to their policyholders, and limiting coverage. Insurance companies ...

Pseudotumor Cerebri: An Often Misdiagnosed Illness

2010-09-30

Pseudotumor cerebri (pronounced SOO-doh-too-mur SER-uh-bry) is an illness that can cause serious long term health consequences. Symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri mimic those of a brain tumor; however, no tumor is present. In fact, pseudotumor cerebri literally means "false brain tumor." Although pseudotumor cerebri can lead to severe complications, it is often reversible, especially if correctly diagnosed at an early stage. What is Known About Pseudotumor Cerebri Pseudotumor cerebri occurs when pressure inside the skull increases. There is often no obvious reason for ...

Safety First: School Bus and Van Safety

2010-09-30

There are 1.5 million children transported on Pennsylvania roads each day, across more than 346 million miles annually, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. And every year, children are severely injured or killed by drivers disobeying Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law. The law requires drivers to stop for any stopped school bus with red signal lights flashing when meeting or overtaking the bus on the road. Vehicles must be stopped at least ten feet away from the bus and remain stopped until the red lights have stopped flashing and the stop ...

Old-Fashioned Distractions Are Just as Deadly Behind the Wheel

2010-09-30

A Charlotte family is still reeling from the distracted-driving death of a loving wife and mother who was struck and killed while walking on a sidewalk along Craig Avenue. The victim, 33-year-old Susan Karabulut, was taking a Sunday-morning walk on August 22 with a fellow nurse when a car driven by 19-year-old Leah Ann Walton jumped the curb and struck her, pinning her body and dragging her for a short distance. Mrs. Karabulut died at the scene. The other victim, 47-year-old Lisa McIe, was critically injured. Ms. Walton told police that she took her eyes off the road ...

New Jersey Senators Push Bill to Expand the State's DNA Database

2010-09-30

Senator Nicholas Sacco and Senator John Girgenti, Chairman of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, have proposed a law that would expand New Jersey's criminal DNA database. If enacted, the law could have a significant impact on people suspected of committing certain violent crimes, such as murder and aggravated assault . DNA is a powerful piece of evidence used to identify alleged perpetrators of crimes and also to exonerate individuals who are wrongfully accused or convicted. DNA is present in almost every cell in the human body and is unique to each person, ...

School Bus Safety

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: