School Bus Stops Safety

Transporting students safely is the main priority for school transportation directors, bus drivers, and other essential personnel involved in getting students to school and home. The primary task for school transportation directors is planning bus routes, which can also impact student safety. These bus stop placements not only dictate the routes students travel between home and the bus stop, but also environmental conditions to which students are subjected while waiting for the bus. From 2004 to 2013, a 2015 Federal Highway Administration/National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (FHWA/NHTSA) study reported 327 school-age children died in school-transportation related crashes, with the highest numbers during the hours of 7AM to 8AM and 3PM to 4PM. Beginning in October 2012, Safe Routes to School (SRTS) activities were eligible to compete for funding alongside other programs under Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). The current SRTS legislation provides $612 million to the states to distribute to communities for providing safer child travel to school by bike or on foot. The intent of the funding is for infrastructure improvements (70 to 90%), but also to provide for safety education and enforcement (10 to 30%). Suggestions from school transportation directors for safer “Student Pickup Zones” include: 1) Installation of raised sidewalks and loading/unloading areas within right of ways (ROWs), 2) Installation of centralized bus stops in the ROW to reduce the number and locations of vehicle stops, and 3) Installation of flashing signs for areas with high potential for accidents, such as multiple curves.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $177000
• Contract Numbers:

  TRC1703

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department

  P.O. Box 2261
  Little Rock, AR  United States  72203
• Project Managers:

  Stanley, Rick

• Performing Organizations:

  Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department

  P.O. Box 2261
  Little Rock, AR  United States  72203
• Principal Investigators:

  Stanley, Rick

• Start Date: 20160908
• Expected Completion Date: 20190907
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus stops; Highway safety; Right of way (Traffic); School buses; School children; Traffic crashes
• Identifier Terms: Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21); Safe Routes to School (Program)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Passenger Transportation; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01640900
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
• Contract Numbers: TRC1703
• Files: RiP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 12 2017 6:33PM