Achieving Zero Injuries in the Danger Zone: The Practical Solutions Leading the Way

Safe Fleet has led the charge in student safety since the early 1980s. From pioneering stop arms and roof escape hatches, to introducing video surveillance in the late 1990s, we've been at the forefront of innovation. Today, the same passionate individuals behind these groundbreaking solutions continue to strive for a safer future for our children.

"We're proud of our history of bringing game-changing safety solutions to market. But our work isn't done until every school bus in North America is equipped with the tools needed to keep our children safe." - Mike Hagan, Sr. VP of Passenger Transportation, Law Enforcement & Waste at Safe Fleet.

Drawing from a deep well of knowledge, gathered through countless conversations with industry associations, government bodies, and school districts, the same team of experts has now launched an unrivaled, all-encompassing safety solution for students: The Safe Fleet Illegal Passing Suite.

The Safe Fleet Illegal Passing Suite is a comprehensive set of solutions designed to address the growing threat of illegal passing incidents. This suite protects children in the Danger Zone. It works in a 3-step approach:

Step 1: Heighten visibility that the school bus is stopping or stopped.

The Safe Fleet Illuminated Stop Arm and Driver Alert Device work together to inform drivers behind the bus about an upcoming stop. Placed on the back door, the Driver Alert LED panel flashes "Caution - Stopping" when the bus slows down and activates its 8-way lights. When the bus's red lights are on and the Stop Arm is deployed, the panel flashes "Stop Do Not Pass."

The Hi-Visibility Stop Arm gets the driver’s attention with a highly reflective decal and the word “STOP” brightly backlit with LEDs. The arm deploys and lets drivers know the bus is stopped, and they should stop too.

Step 2: Proactively warn students of imminent danger.

The Safe Fleet game-changing Predictive Stop Arm™ (PSA) combines radar and predictive analytics to scan three lanes in each direction, covering a distance of 1,000 feet. By assessing the likelihood of a vehicle stopping in time, the PSA offers a spoken word alert: "STOP, GET BACK, " when risk is present. This gives students 3-4 seconds to step away from potential danger.

Step 3: Help enforce proper driver behavior.

Powered by AI technology, the Safe Fleet Stop Arm Violation Enforcement solution utilizes HD video capture to record instances of illegal pass-bys. This advanced solution captures valuable evidence and facilitates law enforcement ticketing. By holding drivers accountable, this system reinforces safe driving behaviors and encourages drivers to think twice before illegally passing a stopped school bus.

"The Predictive Stop Arm™ (PSA) is a game-changer. It's keeping countless kids from harm and educating drivers." - Chris Fox, Product

Manager at Safe Fleet.

“We are always looking for ways to improve safety. It’s not even a business strategy, it’s the baseline for everything we do. We formed the Safe Fleet Advanced Technology Group (ATG) for this purpose. Starting at a grassroots level in 2015, we realized proactive, advanced technology was necessary to halt the rapidly progressing illegal passing epidemic. The ATG group envisioned, developed, and refined the technology that would become the PSA.  Our contributions to the Stop for School Buses Act led to legislation to research the effectiveness of school bus safety solutions. I’ll always be proud to be a part of that.” - Chris Akiyama, Vice President, School Bus Sales.

The PSA's ability to issue audible alerts to students and drivers alike has proven instrumental in preventing potential accidents. One such incident in Minnesota serves as an example: a student engrossed in his phone failed to look for oncoming traffic as he crossed the street. However, the PSA's audible alert prompted him to stop abruptly, saving him from an oncoming vehicle that was moments away from striking him. The car came so close that it knocked the cell phone out of his hands. This real-life example illustrates the tangible impact of advanced safety technology in averting potential tragedies and protecting vulnerable students.

“The PSA audible alert prompted the student to stop abruptly, and the car that was on course to strike him came so close it knocked the cell phone out of his hands!” - Chris Fox, Product Manager at Safe Fleet.

Achieving the goal of fully protecting students in the Danger Zone requires more than just technological advancements; it demands collective action from all stakeholders, including policymakers, educators, parents, and, of course, the students themselves. By working together and embracing innovative solutions like those offered by Safe Fleet, we can ensure that every child arrives at school safely, ready to learn and grow.

"We've been in the business of delivering safety for over 40 years, and we're not stopping anytime soon." - Doug Campbell, Safe Fleet National OEM Account Manager.

What's the next step?

"Our upcoming automated stop-arm violation detection and advanced blind spot detection systems will further enhance the Illegal Passing Suite. Our goal is simple: to fully protect students in the Danger Zone." - Mike Hagan, Sr. VP of Passenger Transportation, Law Enforcement & Waste at Safe Fleet.

The Illegal Passing Suite is not just offering isolated solutions, it's delivering a comprehensive, all-in-one package that overhauls school bus safety. This powerful tool is in sync with the progressive legislative demands, pushing school bus fleets to embrace cutting-edge technology for unprecedented safety in the Danger Zone.

Get ready to experience a complete transformation in student safety! Download the Illegal Passing Suite White Paper today!