SAFETY ASPECTS OF SCHOOL BUSES IN USE TODAY

Findings are reported from a National School Bus Inventory designed to obtain information on the safety characteristics of the regular and special education school bus fleets operating in the U.S. One out of every five of the nation's school bus fleet (59,000) should be considered for replacement due to old age. More than half of the buses (150,000) may not meet Federal flammability standards for vehicle interior materials. Over 2,000,000 children may be transported daily in school buses with potentially high levels of carbon monoxide due to maintenance problems. Sixty percent of all children are transported twice daily in buses which have no padded seat backs and no padded bars. More than half of all school buses are not equipped with the eight-light warning system which has been adpoted by 38 states. Only one out of every three school buses has seat belts available to the driver. Other recommendations include the use of FM and CB radio communication, additional supervision aboard school buses to deal with unruly riders and high traffic volume at bus stops, and emergency evacuation drills at least twice yearly.

• Corporate Authors:

  Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant

  Mount Pleasant, MI  United States  48859
• Authors:
  • Allen, K
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Pagination: 18 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Inventory; School buses; Vehicle maintenance; Vehicle safety
• Old TRIS Terms: Vehicular safety
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Maintenance and Preservation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391457
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-028 700
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 30 1984 12:00AM