SCHOOL BUS CROSS-OVER MIRRORS, SPECIAL REPORT

A REVIEW OF MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS IN NEW YORK STATE (EXCLUDING NEW YORK CITY) REVEALED 59 PERSONAL INJURY AND FATAL SCHOOL BUS-PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENTS OCCURRING IN 1966 AND 1967. OF THESE 59 ACCIDENTS, 10 WERE FOUND TO INVOLVE A SITUATION IN WHICH A SCHOOL BUS, AFTER STOPPING TO DISCHARGE PASSENGERS, STRUCK A CHILD UPON PROCEEDING FORWARD. IN ONLY THREE OF THE CASES WERE THERE SPECIFIC REFERENCES TO THE DRIVER'S USE OF THE CROSS-OVER MIRRORS. ALTHOUGH THE ACCIDENT FREQUENCY WAS LOW, THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE CROSS-OVER MIRROR DOES NOT PROVIDE COMPLETE PROTECTION AGAINST THIS TYPE OF SCHOOL BUS-PEDESTRIAN ACCIDENT. IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THE AGE OF THE CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THE TEN ACCIDENTS UNDER CONSIDERATION WAS QUITE LOW. OF THE TEN, SEVEN WERE AGE FIVE, ONE AGE SIX, AND TWO AGE SEVEN. IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT THE GENERAL BEHAVIOR PATTERN AND PERHAPS THE SMALL SIZE OF YOUNGER CHILDREN MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE TYPE OF ACCIDENT IN QUESTION. THERE IS NO STANDARD FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE CROSS-OVER MIRROR (ONLY A GENERAL PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTION) AND AS A RESULT THERE IS A VARIETY OF STYLES OF INSTALLATION, EACH WITH ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. SOME BUSES HAVE THE MIRROR MOUNTED ON THE LEFT FRONT FENDER; SOME BUSES HAVE IT MOUNTED ON THE UPPER RIGHT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD; AND OTHERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH BOTH MIRRORS. /AUTHOR/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Report No 1969-10, 18 PP, 7 FIG
• Corporate Authors:

  New York State Department of Motor Vehicles

  Governor Nelson A Rockefeller Empire State Plaza
  Albany, NY  United States  12228
• Authors:
  • Negri, B
• Publication Date: 1969-9

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Age; Fatalities; Injuries; Location; Mirrors; Pedestrian vehicle crashes; Prevention; Safety; School bus drivers; School buses; School children; Traffic crashes; Traffic safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Child safety; Motor vehicle accidents
• Old TRIS Terms: Minors
• Subject Areas: Highways; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223139
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Nat Safety Council Safety Res Info Serv
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 27 1970 12:00AM