Congressman: For many schoolchildren, safety is more at risk coming and going from school than in the classroom or on the playground
Washington, D.C. - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) today unveiled the most comprehensive overhaul of the nation's school bus safety system in over 15 years, the School Bus Safety Act. An average of 6 children are killed in school bus related accidents each year while an average of 12 children are killed each year in pedestrian deaths outside of the school bus.
"For many schoolchildren, their safety is more at risk coming and going from school than in the classroom or on the playground?and we can do something to change that," Braley said. "When my kids were getting on the bus to go to school I wanted every tool possible to keep them safe, and that's a feeling all parents share."
The School Bus Safety Act contains five titles:
- Title I: "Kadyn's Act"?named after Northwood student Kadyn Halverson, requires states to enact tough penalties for drivers who pass stopped schools buses. Kadyn's parents helped enact this portion of the law in Iowa, but in many other states, this activity, which puts children's lives in danger, is punishable by fines as low as 30 dollars.
- Title II creates grants for Motion Activated Detection Systems on the exterior of buses?these systems alert a driver when a moving target is detected within the danger zones near the front, rear and sides of the bus.
- Title III requires background checks on school bus drivers. In 2012, Iowa enacted such a law, but some states are still operating without this requirement.
- Title IV is a School Bus Seat Belt Demonstration Program. The Department of Transportation would create a Demonstration Program which would allow states to apply for funding to purchase new school buses with seat belts or to equip current ones with seat belts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that deaths from frontal crashes could be significantly reduced with mandatory seatbelt use.
- The last portion of the law would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to assess using technology to get drivers to stop for school buses. For example, studying how a particular lighting system might help prevent motorists from illegally passing stopped buses. This could also help with the situation that led to Kadyn Halverson's tragedy - utilizing technology that can get people to slow down and stop, in addition to increased penalties.
The bill has a self-funding mechanism. Two of the programs - Kadyn's Act (Tile I) and Bus Driver Background Checks (Title III) require states to implement standards similar to Iowa's or they lose 10 percent of their highway funds. The other two programs in the bill, the motion sensors and seatbelts, are grant programs funded by the withheld funds from those states that fail to implement a Kadyn's Law and bus driver background checks.
Braley has a long history of advocacy on school bus safety, previously fighting to redirect resources to help states enforce traffic laws that punish reckless drivers for illegally passing stopped school buses. Braley was also a strong supporter of the passing of Kadyn's Law by the Iowa legislature.
A link to the School Bus Safety Act is available online HERE.
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