Bus Safety Program

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Bus Safety Program
R/R Crossings Date

• Think
• Safety
• First
• Not
• Speed
• First

• Children are our most important resource

SAFETY
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Safety Training Presentation

• Railroad Grade Crossings

Mustafa Abdullah Safety Training Instructor
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Railroad / Highway Grade Crossing
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Dont Let This Happen
To You
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• Collisions between trains and schools buses are
  infrequent but they do occur. The Nov. 1995
  collision near Fox River Grove, Ill. is probably
  best known. As bad as it was though -- seven
  fatalities and 25 injuries -- it is not the
  worst. That dubious honor appears to belong to a
  train-school bus collision that occurred prior to
  World War II. In 1938 a train slammed into a
  school bus near Riverton, Utah killing 24
  youngsters!

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• In the belief that if society doesn't remember
  its history it is doomed to repeat it, the
  editors of School Transportation News undertook a
  study to locate all known train-school bus
  collisions. The study found 165 train-school bus
  collisions between 1902 and 2000. Of these, 34
  resulted in fatalities to school bus passengers
  resulting in 181 deaths and 546 injuries. The
  criteria, for the most, required that the bus
  involved was a traditional yellow school bus or a
  bus in school service transporting pupils. Staged
  collisions were excluded.

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Fox River Grove School Bus-Train Wreck
Click to see animation
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Fox River Grove, Chicago, IllinoisTime and Date
710 a.m., Oct. 25, 1995Weather conditions
Clear.Event School bus drives onto rail-highway
grade crossing in front on an approaching
commuter train.Injuries Seven school bus
passengers die, 24 bus passenger and bus driver
injured. Accident report National
Transportation Safety Board Highway Accident
Report 96/02
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Description of collision A school bus crossed
the railroad tracks and stopped for a red traffic
signal at the Fox River Grove railroad grade
crossing. The rear of the bus extended about 3
feet into the path of the train. The train, a
Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad
Corporation (Metropolitan Rail) express commuter
train, traveling at approximately 70 mph, struck
the rear left side of the stopped Transportation
Joint Agreement School District 47/155 school
bus.
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Probable Cause The NTSB determined that the
probable cause of the collision was that the bus
driver had positioned the school bus so that it
encroached upon the railroad tracks. Contributing
factors included the failure of the 1) Illinois
Department of Transportation to recognize the
short queuing area on northbound Algonquin Road
and to take corrective action, 2) the failure of
the Illinois Department of Transportation to
recognize the insufficient time of the green
signal indication for vehicles on northbound
Algonquin Road before the arrival of a train at
the crossing, and 3) the failure of the
Transportation Joint Agreement School District
47/155 to identify route hazards and to provide
its drivers with alternative instructions for
such situations. Also, the absence of a
communications system that ensured understanding
of the integration and working relationship of
the railroad and highway signal systems.
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Recommended Procedures for School Bus Drivers at
Railroad Crossings

1. When making stops for railroad crossings.
   Carefully observe all traffic. Use school bus
   hazard warning lamps, and tap the brakes to
   communicate to traffic that the bus is about to
   stop. Take these actions far enough in advance to
   avoid startling motorist behind the bus, which
   could cause panic stops or rear-end collisions.
2. Bring the bus to a full and complete stop before
   crossing any track, whether or not the bus is
   carrying passengers.
3. On multiple-lane roads, stop only in the right
   lane unless it is necessary to make a left turn
   immediately after crossing the railroad tracks.

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1. After stopping the bus, fully open the service
   door (make sure the warning light master switch
   is off) and the drivers side window, turn off
   all noisy equipment (radios, fans, etc.),
   instruct students to be quiet, and look and
   listen in both directions along the tracks for
   approaching trains.
2. If the view of the railroad track is not
   adequate, do not attempt to cross the tracks
   until you can see that no train is approaching.
3. If a train passes from one direction, make sure
   that another train, possibly hidden by the first
   train, is not approaching on an adjacent track.

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1. For railroad crossings equipped with warning
   devices such as lights, bells, and /or gates,
   always obey the signals. Never ignore railroad
   crossing signals. If a police officer or flagman
   is present at the crossing, obey their
   directions, but be sure to make your own visual
   check.
2. Before crossing the tracks, ensure there is
   adequate room on the other side of the tracks and
   train right-of-way for the entire bus. It is
   always possible that the bus may have to stop
   immediately after crossing the tracks.
3. When the tracks are clear, close the service door
   and place the transmission in a gear that will
   not require changing while crossing the tracks.
   Leave all noisy equipment off and continue
   looking in all directions as you cross the
   tracks. After safely crossing the tracks, turn
   off the hazard warning lights.

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1. If the bus stalls while crossing the tracks,
   EVACUATE the students IMMEDIATELY and move them
   to a safe distance away from the bus and in the
   direction of the on coming train if one is
   approaching.

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Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Markings, Signs and
Signals
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Advanced Warning Sign The round, black on yellow
sign is placed ahead of a public railroad-highway
crossing. The advanced warning sign tells you to
slow down, look and listen for the train, and be
prepared to stop at the tracks if a train is
coming. Pavement Markings Pavement markings
mean the same as the advanced warning sign. There
may be a white stop line painted on the pavement
before the tracks. The front of the bus must
remain behind this line while stopped at the
crossing.
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Crossbuck Sign This sign marks a passive
crossing. It requires you to yield the right-of
way to the train. When the road crosses over
more than one set of tracks, a sign below the
crossbuck indicates the number of
tracks. Flashing Red Lights At many active
highway-rail grade crossings, the crossbuck sign
has flashing red lights and bells. When the
lights begin to flash, stop! A train is
approaching. You are required to yield the
right-of-way to the train. If there is more than
one track, make sure all tracks are clear before
proceeding.
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Gates Many active railroad-highway crossings
have gates with flashing red lights and bells.
Stop when the lights begin to flash and before
the gate lowers across the road. Remain stopped
until the gates go up and the lights have stopped
flashing. Do not proceed until it is safe. If the
gate stays down after the train passes, do not
drive around the gate. Contact the office to
report the problem and get further instructions.
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NO, NO
Never drive your bus around downed R/R crossing
gates. If you think the gates are malfunctioning,
call the base. Do not attempt to go around the
gates.
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Passive Crossings
This type of crossing does not have any type of
traffic control device. You must stop at these
crossings and follow proper procedures. However,
the decision to proceed rests entirely in your
hands. Passive crossings require you to recognize
the crossing, search for any train using the
tracks and decide if there is sufficient clear
space to cross safely. Passive crossings have
yellow circular advance warning signs, pavement
markings and cross bucks to assist you in
recognizing a crossing





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Active Crossings
This type of crossing has a traffic control
device installed at the crossing to regulate
traffic. These active devices can include
flashing red lights, flashing red lights with
bells, or flashing red lights with bells and
gates. If there is more than one
track a sign with the number of
tracks may also be present.
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Summary Tips
Treat all railroad crossings as operational,
(exempt tracks should be approached with
caution). Always stop no closer than 15 feet
from the first rail. Remember SLLL (Stop, Look,
Listen and Live). Make sure you have containment
space before crossing the tracks. Always check
for other trains.
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Don't Stop Once You Start If you start over a
crossing and the lights start flashing and the
gates start down, don't freeze keep going. The
warning signals allow enough time to drive over
the crossing before the train arrives. No gate on
the other side will block your lane. If you stop
and try to back up, you may stall.
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Abandon Your Bus If You Stall On The Tracks If
your bus is boxed in or stalls on a track, get
everyone out immediately and safely away from the
car. Post a look out in each direction of the
track, if a train is approaching try to flag a
warning to it. If no train is in sight, have
someone push the car clear or start it. No bus is
worth a human life.
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CONTAINMENT SPACE

• "Boxed In" Can Be Fatal
• Gates won't trap you, but a halt in highway
  traffic flow might. Never drive onto a railroad
  track until you are certain you can drive all the
  way across. Be sure the traffic ahead of you will
  not stop and box you in on a track.

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Stopping Distances for Freight Trains
NEVER TRY TO BEAT A TRAIN ACROSS THE TRACKS