How to eliminate, avoid, or deal with driving hazards

According to the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every day, 26 million children ride on school buses. School bus drivers play an important role in the safe transportation of students to and from school and school-related activities.

Carefully planned and timed regular bus rounds don’t have time for surprises however they can happen. The easiest way to avoid route hazards is to know the route you’re driving - regular routes and unfamiliar routes.

Knowing your route

A route hazard is anything that can put the school bus or passengers in jeopardy; anything unexpected that could pose a threat to school bus safety.

Hazards are those things that pose a threat to school bus safety. For example, not all route intersections are hazards but intersections that have limited sight or high crash occurrence are route hazards.

Route hazards can include but not limited to:

• Road conditions (e.g., dirt or gravel on the road, new potholes, frost heaves, washouts, low or nonexistent shoulders on the road)

• High volume of traffic; congestion, rush hour

• The lay of the land: some hills; certain curves

• Sunlight; vehicle lights

• A high-crash location; intersections

• New construction, jersey walls, restricted roadway

• The “odd thing” (something strange and unexpected, a drainage ditch, low wires or underpass, tree branches, temporary signs, flooding)

• Highway-rail grade crossing

• Wildfire

• Trees and shrubs that block the field of view

• Weather conditions (e.g., tornado, fog or flood area)

How to Handle Route Hazards

Report problems along your route to your supervisor in accordance with local policy. This allows something to be done about the hazards and ensures you follow the local policy of reporting.

Do not discuss unsafe route situations with parents or students. Always refer them to your supervisor.

Field and activity trips are different from your regular route as they are not familiar to you and require some independent decision making. This is a list of situations that might arise:

• Wondering if the bus will fit (on a street, in a parking area)

• Loading/unloading areas

• Security of area to park bus

• Weather

• Chaperones

Ways to Avoid Route Hazards

1. Become familiar with the route

2. Get written directions for where you are going

3. Know where food and rest areas are (both along the way and once you get there)

4. Know where parking is and that it is secure

5. Have a full tank of fuel

6. Have money for tolls

7. When several busses are traveling together

   1. Have a lead driver

   2. maintain a safe following distance

8. Communicate with the person in charge of the trip

   1. Get the name of the person in charge; give that person your name.

   2. Agree on loading and unloading places and times at both the school and the final destination

   3. Make sure that you and the person in charge know how to get in touch with each other.

   4. Make sure that the person in charge knows where the bus will be parked

   5. Reach an understanding as to responsibilities

   6. The driver determines the route and ensures safety

   7. The person in charge controls student behavior

9. Keep aisles and exits clear

10. Carry emergency phone numbers for school personnel

11. Know the local policies and procedures