In the aftermath of the recent school bus crash in Chattanooga, Tenn., that killed six students, transportation officials at the Bradford Area School District are taking note of the tragic accident to ensure student safety is the district’s highest concern.
“This sad and horrific accident that occurred across the nation, in which several young children died, must be taken as an opportunity to learn and to improve where lessons and improvement are possible,” stated Barry Bryan, director of transportation at the district.
According to Bryan, accidents such as the one in Chattanooga can almost always be avoided.
“Any time there is an accident like this that pertains to transportation where children are negatively impacted, I try to find out exactly what happened in the circumstances and what could have been done differently,” Bryan told The Era.
First, Bryan explained it was reported that there were a lot of public complaints coming into the Chattanooga School District that the bus driver responsible for the accident was driving erratically, or irresponsibly.
At the Bradford district, if a complaint comes in, Bryan said he deals with it “immediately.”
“We don’t take any complaints lightly, and that tragic accident is a prime example of why you just can’t risk letting anything slide under the radar,” Bryan stated. “Here we investigate and document every call as soon as they come in so that nothing gets missed, and if things add up, we’re aware of a potential issue.”
Secondly, the driver of the Chattanooga school bus had repeatedly notified the school district of student discipline concerns on the bus prior to the accident ever occurring, Bryan noted.
“We have two drivers who work here at BASD as discipline coordinators,” he explained. “So when they get off of their bus run, there is someone here immediately available to deal with discipline issues that may arise on the school bus. We can then meet with the students and discuss the situation with them in the aim of resolving whatever the problem is so that bus drivers don’t have to divert their attention to troublesome behavior.”
According to Bryan, issues such as these are brought up and discussed by district transportation officials every month at mandatory safety meetings.
“Everyone in the transportation department must attend the meetings, and we also have four safety trainers present to help with those meetings,” Bryan continued. “Last month, there was an accident in New York where a driver forgot to check his mirrors and an accident resulted. I make it a point to learn about events like that and call attention to them at the meetings.”
As Bryan described, experience is, unfortunately, “the best way” to learn from mistakes, accidents and oversights.
“Safety of our students is one of our top priorities,” he said. “That’s why we take every precaution and assess every minute detail when it comes to getting students to and from school every day. It’s important.”
And Bradford’s district, as a whole, is “very efficient” when it comes to following-through on that goal, Bryan noted.
“I’ve worked for dozens of school district, and this is the best one I’ve been a part of,” he described. “The superintendent, principal, and every official within and without the transportation department hold children’s safety in the highest regard.”
The district has implemented a “9 Steps to Safety” program that, according to Bryan, encompasses all of the details pertaining to the district’s transportation safety initiative.
“Our safety program is a nine-step process to include rigid hiring review, extensive training and accident evaluation for all transportation officials,” Bryan explained.
In regards to bus drivers, that includes pre-hire and periodic reviews; new-hire classroom and behind-the-wheel training; a monthly safety incentive bonus for no accidents; a monthly review of all drivers’ credentials; the installment of a passenger reminder system on each transportation vehicle; safety awareness workshop meetings made monthly; Pre-K and Kindergarten safety training; frequent vehicle safety checks and mandatory vehicle checks at 2,000 miles; and full review of all accidents with appropriate action taken.
The district also places guidelines and rules on students so that it is a “two-fold” approach.
“We have developed the following student management procedures to ensure our goal is accomplished,” Bryan continued. “Every student rider should be familiar with these instructions as they are consistently enforced on every bus.”
Rules for students include following the driver’s directions the first time they are given; remaining seated at all times the vehicle is in motion; keeping one’s head, hands and feet inside the bus and to oneself; no drinking, eating, cursing or loud talking; and arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus arrives.
No matter what, Bryan noted, accidents can, and do, happen, and districts “must” be prepared.
For the past quarter of a century, there has been significant public debate over how to best provide crash protection to school bus passengers. In 1977, a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard took effect that required all new school buses to be equipped with seating systems that included strong, high-backed, well-padded, strongly anchored, evenly spaced seats — a passive protection system called “compartmentalization.”
While the federal government considered a requirement for lap belts (an active protective system) in the 1977 standard, it decided against them. A passive crash protection system — one that did not depend on children’s compliance to be effective — was determined most beneficial. That is what the Bradford district has implemented.
On Thursday, the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration re-emphasized the agency’s call for seat belts on school buses in the aftermath the Chattanooga crash.
The “seat belt” controversy, as Bryan commented, is up for debate. However, one thing remains certain — student safety “is key” and districts like Bradford’s will continue to ensure ultimate safety precautions for all students, every day.
