Countless details go into ensuring the safety of our most important passengers, children. School buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road, designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries. In addition to stop-arm laws to protect children from other motorists in every state, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) has outlined details that keep our children safe on a school bus. Below are a few of their examples for review.
• Different by Design: School buses are designed so that they’re highly visible and include safety features such as flashing red lights, cross-view mirrors and stop-sign arms. Laws protect students who are getting off and on a school bus by making it illegal for drivers to pass a school bus while dropping off or picking up passengers, regardless of the direction of approach.
The Blue Bird Vision also has added safety features such as exceptional forward driver visibility and a unique mirror system providing better line of sight for the driver.
- The Blue Bird Vison is equipped with an Enhanced Defrost Air Flow. This feature is engineered to keep the higher section of the windshield clean for increased visibility in inclement weather.
• Large school buses are heavier and distribute crash forces differently than passenger cars and light trucks do. Because of these differences, bus passengers experience much less crash force than those in passenger cars, light trucks and vans.
- The Blue Bird Vision has a floor height of 38 inches, which puts the floor of the passengers well above a crash zone providing added safety. Mentioned earlier in this series, the one-piece roof bow system ensures safe student transportation with an exceptionally strong structure, the backbone of the Vision’s design.
- The Blue Bird Vision’s front bumper is the largest in the school bus industry. At 15” tall on both the corners and 25% larger than other manufacturers’ buses, it provides added protection and safety.
• NHTSA decided the best way to provide crash protection to passengers of large school buses is through a concept called “compartmentalization.” This requires that the interior of large buses protect children without them needing to buckle up. Through compartmentalization, children are protected from crashes by strong, closely spaced seats that have energy-absorbing seat backs.
- In addition to the compartmentalization, as well as the solid passenger safety cage, the Blue Bird Vision is also equipped with split sash windows which protect a child from being ejected in the event of a crash.
These are just a few of the NHTSA safety details. For further information you can read the full article here.
This series has covered school bus safety statistics, bus structure and design, as well as additional safety features provided standard on the Blue Bird Vision, making it clearly the safest school bus available.
Transporting our most precious cargo is the driving force behind the safety and design of the Blue Bird Vision bus. Here at Colorado/West Equipment, Inc., and Nebraska/Central Equipment, Inc. we are committed to providing the safest form of transportation along with unmatched customer service. We look forward to serving your bus needs, contact us today.