National Association of State Directors Of Pupil Transportation
Estimates Motorists Will Illegally Pass Stopped School Buses More
Than 45 Million Times In One School Year
SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Aug. 15,
2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- As school districts
across the country begin welcoming students back for the new year,
many are deploying additional safety measures on school buses to
proactively reduce the number of close calls or tragedies when
vehicles illegally pass stopped buses that are loading and
unloading children.
It's a national trend that continues to put students at risk. A
recent study by the National Association of State Directors of
Pupil Transportation (NASDPTS) estimates that motorists will
illegally pass stopped school buses displaying flashing red lights
and traditional stop arms more than 45 million times in a single
year.
In 2024, School districts in more than 20 states are making their
bus fleets more visible by installing BusGates LED-lit stop arm
extensions that add a physical barrier to oncoming traffic and
significantly reduce illegal passing.
BusGates stop arm extensions physically extend from the side of
the bus into the roadway when the bus is stopped. This creates a
visible physical barrier preventing vehicles from passing the bus.
Here's how it works:
- Physical Extension: When a school bus stops to load or unload
children, the BusGates stop arm extends just over 5 feet into the
adjacent lanes of traffic. This physical presence is highly visible
and is a deterrent to motorists who might otherwise consider
passing the bus.
- Enhanced Visibility: The extended arm is well-lit with LED
flashing lights offering additional warning as vehicles approach.
This visibility serves as a strong reminder to drivers to stop, as
required by law.
- Immediate Deterrent: By creating a tangible obstruction,
BusGates immediately influences driver behavior, preventing
potential violations before they occur.
Unlike cameras aboard many school buses, which serve as
surveillance tools to catch motorists who illegally pass school
buses, stop arm extensions aim to prevent the behavior in the first
place.
"With driver distraction levels at all-time highs the current
warning systems, which haven't changed in 30 years, simply aren't
enough. We felt compelled to design a simple and cost-effective way
to increase the visibility of buses, reduce the liability of
motorists, and decrease these tragedies and close calls," said
Illinois-based Bus Gates
co-founder Jeff Stauffer.
Across the U.S. an estimated 43 million drivers will illegally
pass school buses while their current stop arms are deployed this
year a statistic making extended stop arms an increasingly popular
option for school districts to install these.
BusGates stop arm extensions are now being used by school
districts in 20 states including: Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New
Jersey, New York,
North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah,
Virginia, West Virginia
"Since installing Bus Gates stop arm extensions, we've seen a
95% drop in stop arm passing violations," said Alvarado, Texas Public Schools Transportation
Manager, Terry Woods.
Albemarle County Public Schools
in Charlottesville, Virginia
reported an 89 percent reduction in the number of violations when
utilizing Extended Stop Arms.
The state of Montana mandated
that stop-arm extensions be installed on all public school buses
across the state in 2022.
About Bus Gates
Bus Gates is on a mission to reduce vehicle "drive-arounds" at bus
stops across America and make getting to and from school safer for
students. Bus Gates stop-arm extensions are a simple,
cost-effective solution to a major problem - cars ignoring stopped
school bus warnings putting students at risk. Bus Gates stop-arm
extensions easily retro fits to the existing school bus stop signs.
They offer additional visibility and stick out further from the bus
to make drivers more aware and reducing "drive-arounds" by up to
95%.
Media Contact
Chris McCloud, BusGates,
217-502-4376, cmccloud@pendulum-pr.com,
https://www.busgates.com/
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content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/growing-number-of-us-school-districts-are-installing-stop-arm-extensions-this-year-to-improve-bus-visibility-and-reduce-incidents-at-bus-stops-302223130.html
SOURCE BusGates