The Millstone Times August 2018

BACK TO SCHOOL & KIDS

The Future of School Bus Safety After a Tragic Accident in May By Abigail Urban

Bus safety seems to be a neglected topic, especially considering there are many over-the-waist school bus seat belts that tangle up on every seat from months of being unused. It was after a fatal school bus accident on Route 80 in May that light is now being shed on school bus safety and the need for its reform. While on route to what would have been a class trip in Waterloo Village, a Paramus school bus driver collided with a dump truck, killing a teacher, a fifth-grade student, and injuring more than 40 passengers. The accident occurred after the bus driver allegedly attempted to do an illegal U-turn to cross a highway median. In response to the accident, the New Jersey Senate passed legislation that requires school buses to have three- point seat belts. The bill is now sent to Governor Murphy for his approval. According to NJ.com, other safety reforms that a surviving fifth grader is lobbying for include installing GPS devices in buses, placing cameras inside and outside buses and having stricter background checks for drivers. Diana Elwell, a Millstone parent with children in both Millstone and UFRSD schools, believes that help with navigation on school trips, such as with a GPS or a teacher assisting the driver, could prevent possible accidents when school bus drivers trek onto unfamiliar roads. The extra assistance might prevent drivers from making illegal turns or getting lost. Elwell also thinks that three-point seat belts are more protective than two-point seat belts. However, “unless people are making sure three- point seat belts are on, they might go to waste,” she said. Christine Burnetsky, a bus driver for Jackson Township, expresses the same concern as Elwell in regard to three-point seat belts and students

not using them at all. “Right now, the students have seatbelts across the lap to hold them in place. Students are responsible for putting them on. I remind them to put them on,” Burnetsky said. She stresses that in order for seat belts to work, students must not unbuckle them while the bus is in motion. It can be difficult for drivers to monitor if seatbelts remain buckled while driving the bus. Along with promoting the use of seatbelts, Burnetsky recognizes the importance of driving safely, abiding by the rules of the road and having a clean record. The bus driver involved in the Paramus school bus accident has anything but a clean record, accumulating numerous tickets over the years for speeding, improper turns, careless driving, and driving a vehicle while suspended and not having insurance. “I have no idea why he was allowed to drive. It is appalling that someone with his record is driving,” Burnetsky said. “When our license is up for renewal, we need to be fingerprinted. Every year we fill out a form saying we have no violations on our license.” Elwell agrees that thorough background checks of bus drivers are an essential aspect of bus safety. “Clearly if he had a lot of points on his record, parents would feel unsafe with him driving their kids,” she said. “If he has demonstrated that he doesn’t abide by safety rules, he shouldn’t be driving.” The lesson learned from this tragic accident is that following the rules of the road is key to making sure accidents do not happen and lives or not lost. “With this accident I think it was poor judgment on the drivers’ side,” Burnetksy said as her conclusive final remark. “Be more alert for driving patterns and rules of the road. You’ve got to follow them.”

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The Millstone Times

August 2018