Unit B - PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services
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Transcript Unit B - PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services
School Bus Driver Training
Unit F
Safe Driving
Objectives
At the end of this session school bus operators will be
able to:
Describe the basic elements of safe driving, including
primary causes of crashes and methods to reduce those
crash risks
Articulate an awareness of limitations of the bus and of
the driver
Develop an ability to recognize potential dangers
associated with driver, vehicle, natural, and man-made
conditions
Know the steps necessary to successfully negotiate
hazardous situations
Why Road Safety is Important
In the United States each year:
Over 6 million reportable crashes
Over 2.5 million people injured
Over 40,000 people killed
Rate ~= 1.5/100MVM
Crashes cost $230.6 billion
Putting this into Perspective
Crashes are the leading cause of death for people
between the ages of 3 and 33
An average of 117 persons die each day in motor vehicle
crashes – one every 12 minutes
Daily financial loss is $630 million per day
Putting this into Perspective
One road departure fatality occurs every 21 minutes
One intersection fatality occurs every hour
One pedestrian fatality occurs about every two
hours
High Cost of Crashes
Crash Severity of
Property damage only
Serious injury
Fatality accident
Average cost per
Crash
$6000
$180,000
$3,100,000
The Good News?
School bus transportation is safe!
Safest mode of ground transportation
In Pennsylvania, 5,839 total crashes over 10 years
Less than ½% of the total crashes in PA!
In only 36% of those crashes the school bus was
considered the prime unit or about 1/10 of 1 percent
Crash Causes
Human factors
Vehicle factors
Roadway environment
Crash Causes
Roadway
34%
3%
27%
57 %
3%
6%
1%
Vehicle
12%
2%
Driver
93%
Crash Causes
Driver behavior
Speeding
Failure to use safety belts
Aggressive driving
Crash Causes
Roadway Environment
Roadway design
Roadside hazards
Roadway conditions
Crash Causes
Vehicle Factors
Failures in vehicle or its
design
a)
b)
Brakes
Tires
Poor or neglected
maintenance
Pennsylvania School Bus Crashes
Most people involved in school bus crashes, whether
occupants of the buses or of other vehicles involved,
were uninjured.
Among persons injured in these crashes, most injuries
were suffered by occupants of other vehicles, not by
occupants of the school buses or school vehicles.
Pennsylvania School Bus Crashes
Top five driver actions implicated when school bus was
the prime unit (main contributor)
Failure to Stop (21.3%)
Other Improper Driving (20.2%)
Improper Turn (16.%7)
Speeding (9.5%)
Tailgating (8.6%)
NOTE: Backing (5.4%)
Most crashes occur in urban areas (74.7%)
Rear-end Collisions
Crash Factors
1. Driver Action: Tailgating
2. Driver Gender
3. Number of Improper Driving Violations
Crash Factors
Odds of
Tailgating ::
61 ::
Males ::
1.5 ::
1 or More Violations ::
1.5 ::
Collision
Not Tailgating
1
Females
1
No Violations
1
Interpretation
Drivers in rear-end collisions are very likely to be noted as tailgating. They are
somewhat more likely to be males then females, and to have one or more improper
driving violations on record.
Head-on Collisions
Crash Factors
1. Driver Action: Wrong Side of Road
2. Road Surface Condition:
Crash Factors
Odds of Crashing
Wrong Side :: Not Wrong Side
22 :: 1
Dry Road :: Not
2 :: 1
Interpretation
Drivers in head-on collisions are very likely to be noted as driving on the wrong
side of the road. The road surface is more likely to be dry than wet or snow/ice
covered.
Backing Collisions
Crash Factors
1. Driver Action: Careless Backing
2. Weather Condition: Clear
Crash Factors
Odds of Crashing
Careless Backing :: Not Careless Backing
610 :: 1
Clear Weather :: Inclement Weather
4 :: 1
Interpretation
Drivers in backing collisions are very likely to be noted for careless backing.
The weather is more likely to be clear than inclement.
Angle Collisions
Crash Factors
1. Driver Action: Fail to Stop
2. Illumination: Dark
3. Any Adverse Environmental
Conditions
4. Number of Fail to Stop Violations
Crash Factors
Odds of Crashing
Fail to Stop :: Not Fail to Stop
33 :: 1
Dark :: Not Dark
3 :: 1
No Adverse Conditions :: Adverse Conditions
2 :: 1
1 or More Violations :: No Violations
1.25 :: 1
Interpretation
Drivers in angle collisions are very likely to be noted for failing to stop. These
collisions are more likely to occur at night with no adverse conditions (no wind,
rain, deer on road, etc.). These drivers may have previous fail to stop violations
Sideswipe Same Direction Collisions
Crash Factors
1. Driver Action: Careless Passing or Lane
Change
2. Number of Speeding Violations
Crash Factors
Odds of Crashing
Careless Passing :: Not Careless Passing
157 :: 1
No Violations :: 1 or More Violations
1.75 :: 1
Interpretation
Drivers in sideswipe same direction collisions are very likely to be noted for
careless passing or lane change. They may have previous speeding violations
on record.
Sideswipe Opposite Direction Collisions
Crash Factors
1. Driver Action: Wrong Side of Road
2. Any Adverse Environmental Conditions
3. Number of DUI Violations
Crash Factors
Odds of Crashing
Wrong Side :: Not Wrong Side
8 :: 1
Adverse Conditions :: No Adverse Conditions
3 :: 1
1 or More Violations :: No Violations
2 :: 1
Interpretation
Drivers in sideswipe opposite direction collisions are likely to be noted as driving
on the wrong side of the road. Adverse environmental conditions (e.g., wind, rain,
deer on road) are likely. These drivers may have previous DUI violations on
record.
Hit Fixed Object Collisions
Crash Factors
1. Driver Action: Speeding/Too Fast for
Conditions
2. Driver Gender
3. Road Surface Condition:
4. Weather Condition: Clear
Crash Factors
Odds of Crashing
Speeding :: Not Speeding
4 :: 1
Females :: Males
2 :: 1
Dry Road :: Not
1.75 :: 1
Clear Weather :: Inclement Weather
1.25 :: 1
Interpretation: Drivers in hit fixed object collisions are likely to be noted as
speeding/too fast for conditions. These drivers are more likely to be female than
male. These collisions are more likely to occur on dry roads in clear weather.
Hit Pedestrian Collisions
Crash Factors
Crash Factors
Odds of Crashing
1. Driver Action: Other Improper Other Improper Driving
Driving
8
::
::
Not Other Improper Driving
1
Interpretation
Drivers in hit pedestrian collisions are likely to be noted as other improper
driving.
Solutions?
This Unit will examine things YOU can do to help
reduce the collisions just discussed.
The Driving Task
Three phases:
1) Information
2) Decision
3) Action
The Driving Task
Three phases apply to all
processes:
Loading students
Unloading students
Using radio
Braking
Steering
Shifting
Information
As drivers, we all
have to make
assumptions
when we drive
How many triangles?
Information - Sight
Information: Touch and Hearing
Decision
Right or Left?
Decision Example 1
Decision Example 2
Preventing Decision Errors
Pay attention
Spread decision points
Adequate sight distance
Advance warning or information
Action
Vehicles Influence Action
How many?
How fast?
What kind?
Roads Influence Action
Traffic control
Surface
Geometry
Road Users Influence Action
Novice
Older
Pedestrians
Walkers
Truckers
Cyclists
Your JOB Influences Action
Distractions
Unique nature of work
Student passengers
Responsibilities
Question
If it all starts with Information, where do we get
information when we drive?
Traffic Control Devices (TCDs)
Driver Conditions: Knowledge
Why are traffic control devices important to the
driving task?
KNOWLEDGE!
Regulations
Principles
Signs
Pavement markings
Traffic signals
What is a Traffic Control Device?
Sign
Signal
Pavement Marking
Other (miscellaneous)
Why are TCDs
Important to School Bus Drivers?
COMMUNICATION
Information phase
Traffic Control Device Principles
Fulfill a need
Command attention
Command respect
Have a simple, clear meaning
Allow adequate time for response
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices (MUTCD)
National standard for all
traffic control devices on
public roads
Traffic Signs
Functional class
Regulatory
Warning
Guide
Regulatory Signs
Used to control actions of road users
Require law, ordinance, or regulation
Authority varies with agency
Stop Signs
Octagonal in shape
Red and white in color
What do you do with pedestrians?
What about student loading & unloading?
What do you do with cross traffic?
Where do you stop? What if there is a crosswalk?
Rolling stops
Multiway Stops
Stop signs at each approach
What do you do if you arrive first?
What happens if two vehicles reach the intersection at
the same time?
Yield Signs
Triangular (3-sided) in shape
Who has right-of-way?
When do you proceed?
Is this the same as merge?
Turn Restrictions
Symbol signs
Prohibit unsafe movements
Speed Limits
Maximum legal speed
Reasonable and prudent driver
Warning Signs
Warn of conditions
on or near road
Posted in advance of condition
Overuse reduces effectiveness
What do These Signs Mean?
A curve where there is a potential for a
vehicle roll over
Curve to the right with a recommended
speed
Lane Ends
Cross Road
Pedestrian
Crossing
Slippery When Wet
Narrow Bridge
School Advanced
Warning
Object Markers
Objects adjacent to the roadway
Bridge piers, abutments, culvert headwalls
Work Zone Signs
Orange and black
Diagonal shape
Maintenance, construction, or utility work
Stay alert
Exercise extra caution
Slow down
Work Zone Signs
Indicates work is in progress on the roadway
Indicates which lane is closed
Indicates traffic flow is controlled by a person
Work Zones
Guide Signs
Provide navigational
information
Guide and inform
Minimize confusion
Pavement Markings
Convey warnings or information without diverting
attention from road
Convey certain regulation and warning such as no
parking or pedestrian walkways
Used alone, produce results other devices can’t such as
passing zones or through intersections
Pavement Markings
Longitudinal pavement markings
Yellow: delineate traffic flow in opposite direction
White: delineate traffic flow in same direction
Red:
delineate roadways that shall not be
entered
Blue:
delineate parking spaces for people with
disabilities
Transverse markings are usually white
Pavement Markings
What does a single broken centerline mean?
Pavement Markings
What does a double solid yellow centerline mean?
Pavement Markings
What does a combination solid yellow and broken yellow
centerline mean?
Pavement Markings
What does this pattern mean?
Pavement Markings
What do these pavement markings communicate?
Pavement Markings
What do these pavement markings communicate?
Edge Lines
Generally used with center lines
Road shifts or narrows
Guide past obstacles
Mark paved shoulders
Use these for guidance in poor weather conditions!
Transverse Lines
Stop lines
Railroad clearance lines
Crosswalks
Traffic Signals
Power operated device by which motorists are warned
or directed to take a specific action
Help assign right-of-way
Help control intersection traffic flow
Signal Terminology
Section
Signal Face
Contains 3, 4, or 5 sections
Signal Section
Each light is a section
Must be red, green, or yellow
Modern sections are 12”
diameter
Face
Signal Terminology
Interval - Period of time that one color illuminates
on the signal face
Red Interval
Green Interval
Yellow Interval
Traffic Signals
What do you do?
Right turn?
One way street?
Pedestrians?
Red Interval
Traffic Signals
What do you do?
Yellow Interval
Traffic Signals
What do you do?
Pedestrians?
Green Interval
Traffic Signals
Flashing red and flashing yellow
What do you do?
Driver Conditions: Expectancy
What drivers expect
of the road
Surprise is bad!
Expectancy Example 1
Expectancy Example 1 (cont.)
Expectancy Example 1 (cont.)
Driver Conditions
So far, we’ve discussed KNOWLEDGE and
EXPECTENCY
What other driver condition is critical to safely
operating a bus?
Health!
Driver Health
Annual physical exam
Occasional illness
Alcohol and drugs
Pennsylvania has zero tolerance for drug and alcohol
use by school bus and school vehicle drivers. Refer to
Sections 1612, 1606 and 3802 of Title 75.
Alcohol and Driving
FALSE
TRUE
Alcohol enhances your ability to Alcohol is a drug that will make you
drive.
less alert and reduce your ability to
drive safely.
Some people can drink a lot and Everyone who drinks is affected by
not be affected by it.
alcohol.
If you eat a lot first, you won’t get
drunk.
Coffee and a little fresh air will help
a drinker sober up.
Food will not keep you from getting
drunk.
Only time will help a drinker sober
up; other methods just don’t work.
Stick with beer – it’s not as strong A few beers are the same as a few
as wine or whiskey.
shots of whiskey or a few glasses
of wine.
What is a Drink?
All of the following drinks contain the same amount of
alcohol:
12 oz glass of 5% beer
5 oz glass of 12% wine
1 ½ oz shot of 80 proof liquor
How does Alcohol Affect Driving?
Slower reactions to hazards
Driving too fast or too slow
Driving in the wrong lane
Running over the curb
Weaving
Straddling lanes
Quick, jerky starts
Not signaling, failure to use lights
Running stop signs and red lights
Improper passing
Drugs and Driving
Illegal drugs are always unlawful to possess and use
Prescription medicine
Can affect eyesight, hearing, judgment
Read the labels
Talk to you doctor or pharmacist
Work with your supervisor
Driver Conditions
So far, we’ve discussed KNOWLEDGE, EXPECTENCY,
HEALTH
What other driver conditions are critical to safely
operating a bus?
Concentration and Attitude
Attitude
RECOGNIZE the
hazard
DEFEND yourself
ACT to prevent
Concentration and Attitude
Be alert and attentive
Be positive
Focus on your work
Be careful of being an aggressive driver
Do you speed excessively?
Do you tailgate slower vehicles?
Do you race to beat red lights or run stop signs?
Do you weave in and out of traffic?
Do you pass illegally on the right?
Do you fail to yield the right of way to oncoming vehicles?
Mitigate Aggressive Driving
Plan ahead
Concentrate
Relax
Drive to posted speed limit
Be late rather than unsafe
Set an example for younger passengers
Attention and Monitoring
Challenge for school bus operators:
Students
Road
Traffic
Your bus
Determine what you need to observe
Prioritize your monitoring and attention
Balance between many items
Safety first
E.g., Pre-trip, monitor gauges; When loading students,
concentrate on them!
Attention and Monitoring
Attention and Monitoring
There is a LOT to monitor as a school bus operator
Highest rate of injury in PA school bus crashes
involved speeding and distracted, or speeding and
tailgating.
Crash data also showed some crashes are more likely to
occur with no adverse weather conditions.
Don’t get complacent!
Pay attention and monitor your behavior!
Driver Fatigue
Who has driven their own vehicle while tired?
What behavior did you notice?
How were your actions different when you were
fatigued compared to when you were alert and well
rested?
Warning Signs of Driver Fatigue
Your eyes feel heavy
You blink and yawn frequently
You become less attentive to the road
Your head feels heavy and you have trouble keeping your
head up
You can't remember the last few miles driven
You drift from your lane or hit a rumble strip
You experience wandering thoughts
Difficulty focusing or keeping eyes open
You have to jerk your vehicle back into the lane.
You tailgate or miss traffic signs
Avoid the Consequences
of Driver Fatigue
Get a good night's sleep
Be alert and recognize early warning signs of fatigue
Avoid alcohol and medications (over-the-counter and
prescribed) that may impair performance
Don't rely on your students, the radio or opening a
window to keep you awake
Eat sensibly and avoid heavy meals
Remember not to use any drug that hides fatigue - the
only cure for fatigue is rest
Cell Phones and
Texting While Driving
Cell Phone /Other Related Tasks
Risk of Crash or Near Crash event
Light Vehicle/Cars
Dialing Cell Phone
2.8 times as high as non-distracted driving
Talking/Listening to Cell Phone
1.3 times as high as non-distracted driving
Reaching for object
(i.e. electronic device and other)
1.4 times as high as non-distracted driving
Heavy Vehicles/Trucks
Dialing Cell phone
5.9 times as high as non-distracted driving
Talking/Listening to Cell Phone
1.0 times as high as non-distracted driving
Use/Reach for electronic device
6.7 times as high as non-distracted driving
Text messaging
23.2 times as high as non-distracted driving
Cell Phones and
Texting While Driving
Safest course of action is to refrain from using a cell
phone
Only use your cell phone in emergency situations
Driver Conditions Summary –
We examined:
Knowledge
Expectancy
Health
Concentration and attitude
Attention and monitoring
Driver fatigue
Cell phones and texting
Driver Conditions Summary –
We learned:
Observe traffic defensively
Visualize the route and what you are going to do
Keep extra space between you and the vehicle ahead of you
Have a systematic pattern of mirror checks
Maintain a safety circle around the bus
Remind yourself of the responsibility you have transporting
students
Do not talk/text on your cell phone while driving
Count the students as they get off the bus and watch where
they all go
Drive mindfully, not mindlessly
Vehicle Conditions
Discussed in detail in Unit E
Pre-trip conditions
Is the school bus you are assigned to drive in safe
operating condition?
Will it respond instantly and effectively to all controls?
Have you checked it over?
Did you report deficiencies to your supervisor and have
they been corrected?
Vehicle Conditions
Discussed in detail in Unit E
Operating (on-the-road) conditions
Sight: constantly check all gauges for proper readings,
check lights, and watch for smoke or fire
Smell: constantly check for telltale odors of smoke,
exhaust fumes, gasoline, oil, and burning rubber
Sound: listen for unusual noises such as engine
knocking or clashing gears
Touch: often you will feel the first sign of trouble. Be
alert for loss of steering, brakes, transmission, power, or
other vehicular functions
Environmental and Roadway
Conditions
Scanning ahead
Driving on slippery surfaces
Reduced visibility
Equipment adjustments
Heavy wind
Highway hazards
Pedestrian hazards
Other vehicle hazards
Scanning Ahead
Have a clean windshield and properly adjusted
mirrors.
Develop the habit of scanning 360 degrees around the
bus: front, sides, and rear.
Don’t stare too long at a particular object, as you will
be less aware of clues from your larger field of indirect
vision.
Focus farther ahead as your speed increases and slow
down if your view becomes limited by hills or curves.
Habits for Improving
Scanning and Perception
Use Efficient Eye
Habits
Use Systematic Search
Pattern
Search for Conflict
Situations
Know What to Look For
Projected Path of Travel
Eye Habits for Bus Control
• Picture Path of Travel
• Look Down Middle
• Look Far Ahead
Search The Scene Ahead
Search 12-15 seconds ahead
Search from side to side
Search the Road Surface
To detect changes in direction
To assess speed of other cars
To check for pedestrians between parked cars
Detect and ANTICIPATE Changes
Highway conditions
Other traffic
Sight distance
Roadway surface
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Type
Slope
Roughness
Shoulders
Oil, water, ice
Search Mirrors and Dash
Check inside and outside mirrors
Check every 5-8 seconds
• Check dash regularly
Look for Clues
• Mailboxes, utility lines, houses, cloud of dust
Driving on Slippery Surfaces: Crashes
Drivers were more likely to be noted for driving too
fast for conditions in rain-fog and especially in snowsleet conditions than in clear weather conditions
Drivers were more likely to be noted as driving on the
wrong side of the road under snow-sleet conditions,
perhaps indicating loss of control of the vehicle on
slick roads and/or difficulty in seeing the center
line.
So…SLOW DOWN…ADJUST YOUR DRIVING
Driving on Slippery Surfaces: Crashes
Although 75% of prime school bus crashes overall
occurred in urban areas, snow-sleet crashes were more
likely to occur in rural than urban areas, perhaps due
to lower levels of winter services on rural routes.
If your drivers operate buses in rural areas, be
particularly careful in adverse weather
conditions.
Driving on Slippery Surfaces: Crashes
Snow-sleet crashes were likely to involve single-vehicle
hit fixed object crashes.
This suggests school bus operators are not
adjusting their speeds based on weather
conditions.
Head-on collisions were twice as likely to occur on dry
roads as on other road surface conditions.
It appears that some drivers attempt risky
maneuvers on dry roads that they perhaps avoid
in less favorable conditions.
Driving on Slippery Surfaces:
Driving Recommendations
Start on time, but adjust to conditions
Safety first, schedule second
Use windshield wipers in inclement weather
Use of headlights is mandatory
Check brakes immediately after driving through deep
puddles or standing water.
If they fail to work properly, pump the brakes to help dry
them while the vehicle is moving.
For air brakes, cautiously apply steady pressure.
Set a regular speed, and drive slower than posted speed
limit
Driving on Slippery Surfaces:
Driving Recommendations
Start the bus in the lowest appropriate gear for better
traction if ice or wet snow is on the driving surface
To avoid getting stuck or spinning the wheels, try to
keep the bus moving slowly and steadily forward in
gear
When approaching intersections and when stopping,
pump the brakes once or twice so that the wheels won’t
lock on the ice. With air brakes, use gentle but steady
pressure.
Make turns smoothly; avoid applying the brake
Avoid skidding
Driving on Slippery Surfaces:
Driving Recommendations
Plan ahead for expected hazardous areas of the route
Bridges,
Stretches of road that have been slippery in the past
Uphill stops
Intersections
Maintain a greater than normal safe following distance
from other vehicles
When pulling onto the highway, allow for longer
acceleration time required for school buses
Reduced Visibility: Weather
Conditions
Follow local pre-trip inspection guidelines
Keep the windshield clear
Stop the bus and remove snow or ice build-up
Don’t hesitate to leave the roadway at a safe spot to sit
out a heavy shower, snow squall, or thick fog
Always remember to keep in contact with your
supervisor
Reduced Visibility: Bright Sunlight
Carry sunglasses and use them when necessary
Adjust visors to block out direct sun
Avoid looking directly at the sun, bright reflections, or
glare; they can affect your vision for several seconds
Clean the windshield inside/outside
Reduced Visibility: Night Driving
~6% of crashes involving a school bus occurred at
night
Fatalities were more likely to occur in dark than
daylight or dawn-dusk conditions
Improper highway entrance/exit was least likely to be
noted in daylight conditions and most likely to be
noted in dark conditions
This might suggest that drivers may have
difficulty pulling onto roadways in dark
conditions.
Reduced Visibility: Night Driving
Failure to stop was less likely to be noted in dark
conditions than in dawn-dusk or daylight conditions,
perhaps because drivers are more cautious when
visibility is poor.
Improper turning was more likely to be noted in dark
conditions than in daylight or dawn-dusk conditions.
Reduced Visibility: Night Driving
SLOW DOWN
Change other driving techniques
Increase your following distance
Exercise extra caution
Don’t look directly at oncoming lights
Don’t look off into the darkness
Use pavement markings and delineators as guidance
devices
Note that your eyes need to adjust to night lighting
and driving in dark conditions.
Equipment Adjustments
Keep headlights and windshield clean
Always use low beams on sharp curves and when
traffic is approaching
Keep headlights on low beam in cities or towns and in
fog or haze
Keep your instrument panel lights dim
If oncoming drivers fail to dim their lights, don’t blind
them with your high beams
Don’t tailgate
Equipment Adjustments
Headlights
Dual purpose: see and be seen
Required use by law:
a) Insufficient light or on overcast days
b) Between sunset and sunrise
c) Inclement weather
d) Certain work zones
Headlights
Low beams:
use during fog, snow, and rain; or
within 500’ of oncoming traffic; or
within 300’ of vehicle you are following
High beaming is
not a punishment
Heavy Wind
Because of height of bus
Can act like a sail
Know your routes
Use extreme caution when passing other vehicles,
especially large trucks
Highway Hazards
Geometry
Curves
Hills
Dips
Lane width
Shoulders
Intersections: Crashes
60% of crashes involving school buses occur at
intersections
Drivers who crashed at T or Y intersections had fewer
total training hours than drivers who crashed at midblock or 4-way intersection locations
This suggests that navigating through
intersections can be tricky and more experienced
drivers have learned strategies to help
Intersections: Crashes
Adverse environmental conditions were more likely to
be noted at mid-block locations than intersections
Intersection crashes were more likely to be in urban
areas, perhaps due to greater exposure at high traffic
locations
A greater number of injuries were sustained in midblock than intersection crashes perhaps because of the
speeds involved
A greater number of vehicles were involved in 4-way
intersection than T or Y intersection or mid-block
crashes
Intersections: Crashes
Angle collisions
Failure to stop
More likely in darkness
It appears that some bus drivers have a tendency to roll
past stop signs when the way appears to be clear, fail to
see an oncoming vehicle under low light conditions, and
collide with the oncoming vehicle
Rear end collisions also more common
Tailgating
More likely if you have a previous violation
Be particularly vigilant
Intersections: Right-of-Way
This concept legally establishes who has the right to
use the conflicting part of the road and who has to
wait until the other does so.
Right-of-way laws are designed to prevent collisions by
prescribing which vehicle must move last.
Note that the law only names the vehicle that must
yield right of way; it never states that any vehicle
expressly has the right to proceed.
Intersections:
Controlled
Uncontrolled
Yield Control
Approach with caution
Reasonable speed for geometry and traffic conditions
Yield, NOT merge!
Stop Control
Stop at stop line
Stop 4’ in advance of crosswalk
Stop at nearest point where driver has best view of
approaching traffic
Best line of sight
Look in all directions at least twice
Remember the acceleration capabilities of your bus
Don’t take chances!
Signal Control
Red signal: STOP
Use right turn on red with extreme caution
Follow local procedures and policies
Yellow signal: Prepare for stop…do not accelerate
Green signal: Check before proceeding for pedestrians and
other traffic
Be careful when making the left turn; yield to oncoming
traffic!
Flashing yellow: Slowly proceed with caution
Flashing red: Stop completely, check, proceed with caution.
Roundabouts
Counterclockwise
rotation
Yield before entering
Circulate until desired
exit is reached
Pedestrians are not
allowed; they cross at
approaches
Accessible
Pedestrian Crossing
Counterclockwise
Circulation
Circulatory
Roadway
Splitter Island
Apron
Bicycle Treatment
Center Island
Sidewalk
Landscaping
Buffer
Yield Line
Why Do They Work?
Drivers don’t need to stop unnecessarily
Average speed is very low (15 - 20 mph)
Left turn volume does not greatly impact operation
All traffic movement given equal priority
Traffic queues move continuously
Large Vehicles (Buses) on
Roundabouts
Truck Apron
Last Notes on Intersections
Uniformed Police Officer
Always has authority over signs and signals
Private roads
When leaving a driveway, always yield right-of way
Rule of thumb: School bus never have right of way – be
conservative
Whenever possible don’t back out of a driveway
Crossing main (divided) highways
Check and recheck
Use extreme caution
NEVER take a risk
Roadside Hazards
Key is to stay on the road!
Be careful of surfaces that are:
Loose
Rough
Slippery
Slow down!
Crash data indicates:
Bus drivers may be too overconfident in good and bad
weather, leading to a crash
Driving too fast for conditions
Pedestrian Hazards
Greater number of fatalities associated with hit pedestrians
(and head-on collisions) than any other crash
Pay particular attention:
During student loading and unloading (Unit C)
School areas
Kids getting out of cars
Crossing between parked cars
At intersections
Right on red
Peds failing to pay attention to traffic control devices
In hours of darkness
Pedestrian Hazards
Urban and rural pedestrian hazards
Pedestrian Hazards
Pedestrian Hazards
PEDESTRIAN BEHIND
VEHICLE
PEDESTRIAN AT LIGHT POLE
Hazards From Other Drivers
Drivers in a hurry
Drivers losing control of their vehicles
Lack of communication
Vehicle slowing down…
may be about to turn
Parked car with a driver in the driver’s seat, engine running, or
turned wheels…
may be about to pull out from the curb
Parked car with a driver in the driver’s seat…
may be getting ready to exit his vehicle
Pickup and delivery vehicles with backup lights on…
may be about to back into another street or driveway
Hazards from Other Drivers
Inadequate adjustment by other driver to various
roadway or environmental conditions
Failure of other driver to observe
Not responding to an upcoming intersection or to your
signals
Not looking at the road or what is in front of him/her
Dirty windows, bright sunlight, or other objects
obscuring or restricting the other driver’s view.
Other driver’s vehicle being detectable to you only by
reflection, headlight glow, or dust cloud.
If you cannot see them, they can’t see you!
A BUS IS STOPPED TO LOAD STUDENTS AT THE CURB
A CAR PULLS INTO INTERSECTION TO SEE AROUND BUS
Aggressive Drivers
Get out of their way
Do not challenge
Stay relaxed, avoid eye contact and ignore rude
gestures
Don’t block the passing lane if you are driving slower
than most of the traffic
Put your pride in the back seat and DO NOT
RETALIATE
Do not try to teach another driver a lesson
Wear your seat belt.
Aggressive Drivers
Report aggressive drivers to the appropriate authorities
Vehicle description
License plate
Location
Direction of travel.
If you have a cell phone, and can do it safely, pull to the
side of the road and call the police and/or your
supervisor
Do NOT unload any students if an aggressive driver
pursues you. Call for help.
Slow Moving Vehicles
Amish buggies
Do not blow your horn
Leave enough room when passing
Farm equipment
Heavy vehicles
Vehicles going up steep grades
Watch for reflective orange triangle bordered with red
Work Zones
May be confusing
Unexpected events
Expectancy!
Higher crash rates
Unique Traffic Control Devices
Electronic arrow panels
Merge Right
Merge Left
Caution
Unique Traffic Control Devices
Work Zone
Components
Advanced warning area
Transition area
Activity area
Termination area
Scan for Hazards
Work Zone
Areas for concern? Safe driver maneuvers?
Work Zone Safe Driving Tips
Obey speed limits
Follow flagger instructions
Do not tailgate
Be alert for lane shifts and closures
Expect the unexpected
Motorcycles
Look for motorcycles…then look again. Look twice at
intersections, especially when turning left.
Respect motorcyclists’ rights.
Anticipate a motorcyclist’s maneuvers
Allow plenty of following distance
Check and re-check your blind spots.
Controlling Speed
School bus crash data indicates:
Most severe injuries occur in crashes that involve speeding
Speeding and tailgating are listed as factors in 18% of crashes
where school buses were the prime vehicle
Driver actions with highest injury rates, by far, were:
Combination of speeding & distracted driving
Combination of speeding & tailgating
Among single driver action categories, the highest injury rate was for
tailgating
The message: SLOW DOWN!
Safety first, schedule second
Proper Following Distance
Speeding and tailgating are a deadly
combination
Keep space between your vehicle and other
vehicles
Know your bus!
Four Second Rule
Select a fixed object on the road or roadside ahead
When the vehicle ahead of you passes that mark, start
counting until you reach the same spot
If you reach the same mark before your count is
complete, you are following to closely
Four Second Rule
NOT a be-all / end-all!
You need to adjust this based on conditions
Add a second to the 4 seconds if you are:
traveling over 40 mph
driving on a wet or loose surface or other poor roadway
condition
following motorcycles or large vehicles
following another school bus
driving at night
driving in adverse weather conditions
being tailgated
If YOU are Being Tailgated:
Avoid quick changes
Increase your following distance
Don’t speed up
Avoid tricks
Why is Perception Important?
STOPPING
Stopping distance has three basic components:
1. Perception Distance
2. Reaction Distance
3. Braking Distance
Sometimes the first two are referred to as PIEV
Distance
Stopping
PIEV distance
+ Braking distance
Stopping distance
What is Different in a Bus?
Brake lag distance
The distance your vehicle travels after you have applied
the brake pedal, but before the air brakes are activated
Normally, this is discounted in stopping sight distance
Air brakes add .5 seconds brake lag = at least 32 feet at 55
mph
Stopping a Bus
PIEV distance
+ Braking distance
+ Brake lag distance
Stopping distance
Stopping a Bus at 55 MPH
PIEV distance (120 feet)
+ Braking distance (170 feet)
+ Brake lag distance (32 feet)
Stopping distance (322 feet)
About the length of a football field!
Remaining ‘Stopping’ Points
Keep your brakes well maintained
Keep adequate following distance
Slowing down decreases stopping distance
Adjust following distance and speed based on
conditions
Go with the flow of traffic as long as it is safe
Safe Driving Summary
Prepare
Attitude
Scan/Perceive
Give yourself time to
decide and act
Act defensively
Use your tools
Know the rules
The Driving Task
Difficult!
Minimize distractions
Concentrate
Think safety first
Attitude
Attitude
Learn to anticipate
Expect the
unexpected
Fault ultimately does
NOT matter
Break the Bad Habits
Fatigue
Cell phones
Grooming
Reading
Eating and drinking
Failure to obey laws
Aggressive driving