School Bus Stop Arm Passings:A Decade of Trying, Learningand Trying Some More

Derek GrahamState Director, North CarolinaNC Department of Public Instruction

Nicholas “Nick” Adkins

McMichael High School – Rockingham County, NC

The MotoristJudy Earline Stillwell

Remembering Nick Adkins

Stop Arm Violation Task Force Department of Public Instruction Guilford County SchoolsWake County SchoolsWilson County SchoolsGovernor’s Highway Safety ProgramHighway PatrolInstitute for Transportation Research and

Education (ITRE)Division of Motor Vehicles

Data Gathering - First Statewide Count

April 15, 1997: 114 districts - nearly 13,000 buses

2,636 ViolationsStatewide each Spring since

Data gathering is very important IF IT’S NOT WRITTEN DOWN, IT

DIDN’T HAPPEN!

Number of Violations Reported

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Public Service AnnouncementTHE BUS STOPS HERE….

NHTSA

Best PracticeGuide

Operation Stop Arm

Stepped up enforcementPress conference to describe what

we were getting ready to doDisplayed the bus-mounted camera

Operation Stop Arm

Little media responseTV in one location; newspaper only in

the other

Public Awareness

Trooper R. A. Hood

Valuable Insights

Involve key agencies before startingTraining of bus driversGather data to identify problem areasMake use of technologyRelationship with law enforcementRemember that data? Make sure it is

good and share it with law enforcementPublic awareness is effective

Getting the Word Out - The Role of the Media

Television AdvertisingRadio AdvertisingEXPENSIVECan’t do it - or can’t do it aloneGENERATE THE NEWS

Annual Counts Special blitzes

Dalton FolwellMay, 1999

Crossing the street to board the bus – struck and killed by oncoming motorist (female from Central America not aware of stopping requirements)

Local Task ForceCan Be Very Effective and Develop Energy – Needs a Champion

DA’s officeJudgesLaw EnforcementSchool Transportation Department

Stop Arm Task Force

Stop Arm Task Force

Identify proper partnersKeep it simpleMeet regularly and keep making

progress!

Operation Stop ArmN.C. State Highway Patrol

February 7-11, 2005

Trooper Activity

Followed more than 1400 school buses (>10% of the fleet)

Ride-alongs on 163 school buses

2800 Charges

1133 Speeding606 Seat Belt and Child Seat236 Improper Driver’s License29 Passing Stopped School Bus27 DWI4 DWI under age of 21778 Other

Continuing Efforts – Technology

Bus Routing DataEquipment on BusesCameras GPS

NC Law Enforcement Stop Arm Violations GIS Map

Week of January 10th thru 13th 2000

Legend

VIOLATIONS

STREET NAMES

CITY LIMIT

Brighter, Strobing Lights

Will they last?

Data seem to show a reduction in violations with brighter strobing lights.

Will they begin to eventually blend into the background?

Other Signage

S.T.O.P. Sign

CAUTION STOPPINGSTOP DO NOT PASS

Global Positioning SystemsAutomatic Vehicle Locating

Verify operation of stop arm, lights, brakes, speed, etc at bus stop where violation occurred

Provide data to law enforcement for areas of concentration

Driver Intervention – The Best Technology ?

All the technology in the world is not going to prevent the thousands of daily stop arm violations

Most deaths are students K-3Who is there with that student?

Driver Signal – So That Students Know When to Cross

Liability for the driver / district Yes……so?

Reinforcement, day after day, so that it becomes second nature to the student to WAIT before crossing

Digital Camera Systems

License Plate Enhancement

Here’s Why We Need to Keep Fighting the Fight

Terrence HowardChatham CountyFebruary 20, 2002

Struck and killed by oncoming motorist.Bus had not come to a complete stop.

Priscilla NortonRobeson County April 16, 2003High school studentExiting the bus when a motorist (66

year old female) went around the bus on the right side (brake failure)

Ana Maria SolaRowan CountyNovember 5, 2003

Crossing the street to catch the bus. Struckand killed by oncoming motorist. Student on hisway to school.

Sheila HernandezRobeson County January 13, 2004

Boarding the bus when a truckslammed into the back of the bus.

Miguel PosadaRobeson County October 19, 2004

Crossing the street to catch the bus. Struck and killed by oncomingmotorist (substitute teacher)

Education Education

Need to continually search for opportunities to tell the story so that motorists will THINK

CNN Piece

What’s the Silver Bullet?

If there is one it is the district CHAMPION. That person in the school district that

willDevelop relationships with law enforcementLook for and activate partnersTry new technologyGet the word out

Will We Stop All Violators?

Nope

Is It Worth Trying?

You Bet THEIR Life it is!!

School Bus Stop Arm Passings:A Decade of Trying, Learningand Trying Some More

Derek GrahamState Director, North CarolinaNC Department of Public Instruction