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Web Exclusive: In this editorial, David Poag, who created the Stop-Arm Violation Education Enforcement campaign, says many would-be stop-arm violators will think again before passing a stopped school bus if they are educated about the use of stop-arm cameras and their role in enforcing stop-arm laws. He draws parallels between these violations and the effectiveness of efforts to enforce seat belt laws in personal vehicles and reduce drunken driving.
Read More →Six-year-old Zion Toland was trying to cross Highway 178 in Orangeburg, S.C., on Wednesday morning to board his school bus when he was fatally hit by the pickup truck. The South Carolina Highway Patrol says that the bus was making a U-turn and did not have its lights activated or stop arm extended.
Read More →Bus driver Michael Hacker speeds through a stop sign and makes a late turn, throwing him to the floor and causing the bus to veer into a ditch. Lee Morris, a sign-language interpreter, grabs the wheel and regains control of the bus, while fourth-grade teacher Amy Ryan is able to reach the brake pedal by climbing around Hacker.
Read More →Special-education bus driver Tammy Grant, 45, called for assistance to get off the bus and was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Grant was an employee of Durham School Services and had been driving buses for a South Carolina school district for more than 20 years.
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The new Double Check Child/Safety System, conceived by a South Carolina school transportation director, is a reflective flag that can be secured at the back of the bus. At the end of a run, the driver walks to the back, checking for children, and then releases the flag so it hangs in the window — allowing supervisors to see that the bus has been inspected.
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During last week’s South Carolina Association for Pupil Transportation annual conference and trade show, attendees hear from Sen. Thomas Alexander, who urges them to contact local legislators in support of a bill that would increase the penalties for stop-arm violators. Anderson School District Five's David Poag also reveals that he is incorporating the Steffi Crossing Enhancer as part of the educational component of his S.A.V.E. (Stop-Arm Violation Education campaign).
Read More →Myrtle Beach, S.C.-based Horry County Schools is modifying audio messages designed for Disney World trams to use in 10 buses this fall to cut down on student discipline problems. Students will hear soothing music, safety messages and location alerts.
Read More →Jay Ragley with the state Department of Education says that with the new funds, each district should get at least one bus. Money in the state’s budget to pay for the school buses will come from different sources, such as lottery funding.
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David Poag of Anderson School District Five tells SBF about the goals of the S.A.V.E. (Stop-Arm Violation Education Enforcement) campaign, which include making school bus stops in the state safer and creating awareness among the public and state legislators about the dangers of stop-arm violations. Sen. Thomas Alexander introduces legislation supporting one of the campaign's goals, telling SBF, “It’s hard for me to imagine how someone would pass the arm of a stopped school bus.”
Read More →Anderson (S.C.) School District Five Superintendent Betty Bagley also says three students were on the bus when Tuesday’s accident occurred, but no serious injuries are reported. She says she believes a medical problem caused the driver to fall asleep behind the wheel.
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