Bus Safety

Safety is a top priority for Chambersburg Area School District. Transporting students by bus is the safest way for students to get to school.   School buses are manufactured to promote safety and these standards are regulated by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS).  Chambersburg also promotes bus safety through driver training and educating students about bus safety. 

Our student safety program includes:

· Bi-annual bus evacuation drills

· Presentations to students throughout the school

· Monthly safety awards

· National Bus Safety Week events

Other Safety information:

· Drivers preform daily pre trip/post trip inspections to ensure bus is safe

· Regular bus maintenance

· Buses are inspected by PSP annually

· Buses are inspected by licensed mechanics bi-annually

· Drivers have annual school bus physicals to ensure they are physically qualified

· Drivers receive emergency training

 Buzzy Bee

 Buzzy Bee team visits the Elementary students throughout the school year to tell the students about Bus Safety.

Be Cool and Follow the Rules

1. No eating or drinking on the bus, including gum!
2. Stay in your seat and keep your head and hands inside the window.
3. Do not disturb the driver or others with loud talking, loud laughing, or strange noises.
4. No cursing!
5. Do not block the aisle.
6. Leave the following things at home: Glass bottles, critters of any kind, and skateboards.
7. Obey the bus driver at all times. No back talk!
8. Absolutely NO tobacco products!
9. Do not bring anything on the bus that will not fit in your lap.
10. Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
11. No cell phones

Rules from the buildings also apply on the buses.

Pennsylvania's School Bus Stopping Law

• Motorists must stop at least 10 feet away from school buses that have their red lights flashing and stop arm extended.
• Motorists must stop when they are behind the bus, meeting the bus, or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped.
• Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety.
• If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails, or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping.
• Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.
• If convicted of violating Pennsylvania´s School Bus Stopping Law, the penalties include:
  
  • $250 fine
  • Five points on your driving record
  • 60-day license suspension

School Bus Safety Poem

 Safety Pledge Poem

 Every day I ride the bus,

 I'll follow rules,

 Not make a fuss.

 I'll listen well,

 And I'll be safe,

 And keep my bottom in its place.

I'll not eat food,

 And not be rude,

 And I'll be good,  just like I should.

Because when I'm safe,

 I'm being smart,

 I'll always be safe,

 I cross my heart.

Fact: Nearly 30% of School Bus Fatalities Are Actually Due to Other Vehicles Since 2000

 130 school-age pedestrians (younger than 19) have died in school transportation-related crashes. Over two-thirds (67%) were struck by school buses, 6 percent by vehicles functioning as school buses, and 27 percent by other vehicles involved in the crashes. There were 56 (43%) school-age pedestrians killed in school transportation-related crashes between the ages of 5 and 7. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "Traffic Safety Facts, 2009 Data." DOT HS 811 396, Revised March 2011, Link

Fact: School buses keep cars off the road, decreasing traffic, and improving the environment.

Total daily car mileage saved by students riding school buses: 345,600,000 miles.
Do the math... 
* 480,000 = the number of buses in the US. 
* 36 = the number of cars needed to transport students currently riding on one school bus (54 students per bus, students per car assuming no bus = 1.5) 
* 20 miles = Assuming 2 round trips per day for parents to transport students in private vehicle, distance per day per student. 
* 480,000 x 36 x 20 = 345,600,000 miles.

Walking to the Bus Stop

• Always walk on the sidewalk to the bus stop, never run. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left facing traffic.

• Go to the bus stop about five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. While at the bus stop, wait quietly in a safe place well away from the road. Do not run and play while waiting.

Getting On and Off the Bus

• Enter the bus in line with younger students in front. Hold the handrail while going up and down the stairs

• When entering the bus, go directly to a seat. Remain seated and face forward during the entire ride.

Riding the Bus

• Always speak quietly on the bus, so the driver will not be distracted. Always be silent when a bus comes to a railroad crossing, so the driver can hear if a train is coming.

• Never throw things on the bus or out the windows. Keep the aisles clear at all times. Feet should be directly in front of you on the floor and book bags should be kept on your lap. Large instruments or sports equipment should not block the aisle or emergency exits.

• Never play with the emergency exits. Large instruments or sports equipment should not block the aisle or emergency exits. If there is an emergency, listen to the driver and follow instructions.

• Hands should be kept to yourself at all times while riding on the bus. Fighting and picking on others creates a dangerous bus ride.

Exiting the Bus

• If you leave something on the bus, never return to the bus to get it. The driver may not see you come back and she may begin moving the bus. Make sure that drawstrings and other loose objects are secure before getting off the bus, so that they do not get caught on the handrail or the door.

• Respect the "Danger Zone" which surrounds all sides of the bus. The "Danger Zone" is ten feet wide on all sides of the bus. Always remain 10 steps away from the bus to be out of the "Danger Zone" and where the driver can see you.

• Always cross the street in front of the bus. Never go behind the bus. If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver before you attempt to pick it up, so they will know where you are.

• Never speak to strangers at the bus stop and never get into the car with a stranger. Always go straight home and tell you parents if a stranger tries to talk to you or pick you up.