New bus safety video reinforces the message
No matter what they say, misery doesn’t always love company.
Palliser Regional Schools has been in the forefront of efforts to increase awareness of school bus safety for a number of years. Of particular concern is the number of drivers who commit “fly-bys” in illegally passing school buses which are stopped with red lights flashing.
The problem isn’t Palliser’s alone, and that’s why the Student Transportation Association of Alberta (STAA) has produced and distributed a video highlighting bus safety. The association, which Palliser Regional Schools is a member, advocates for safe student transportation.
Palliser Transportation Services Supervisor David Shaw says buses are still the safest way to get students to and from school each day, but there’s always room for improvement. The latest bus video not only reinforces the rules of the road, but highlights the consequences for those who don’t follow them.
This past fall saw the number of fly-bys within Palliser’s busing area on an upward trend compared to past years, he says. Those numbers dropped significantly through the winter months, a result likely connected to poor driving conditions which cause many to be more cautious overall.
This spring, however, those infractions are on the rise again as drivers throw caution to the wind. There were 56 fly-bys through April, down just two from the same period last year, says Shaw.
The STAA safety video was made possible through a grant from the Alberta Traffic Safety Fund. The association is also finalizing details about a bus safety course that will be made available to senior high students through the Career and Life Management (CALM) curriculum. It should be ready by next fall.
For more information on the Student Transportation Association of Alberta go to www.staa.ab.ca.
To see the video, click on the panel below.