Welcome to InService Objectives

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Welcome to In-ServiceObjectives

• The basis for driver awareness.
• How a driver should respond in all situations and
  conditions.
• How to properly control a school bus in
  unexpected hazard situations.

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Hi, I am Rusty the Bus

• Defensive Driving From My Inside Looking Out

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When my tail pipe was shiny and new, my front
bumper sparkled. Morris B. Dents, my driver,
would rub and pat me each morning, sometimes he
checked my fluids and tires. He loved the
children and greeted them with a smile. We would
drive them to and from school each day. They
were the best days of my life!
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Well, thats not why I am here today. I am here
to tell you what could have prolonged my years of
service. Im not really sure what happened to my
kids because Morris B. Dents parked me in this
field and I havent seen him since. I must have
lost track of time. What year is it?
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Wooow! What was that? Who has hold of my
bumper? Put me down! Where are we going? Youre
not Morris B. Dents!
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Washington County School District
Washington County School District
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• School buses are the
• safest form of ground
• transportation.
• Are school bus drivers
• the safest on the
• ground?
• Our goal is to help the
• drivers in Utah be the
• safest drivers around.

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Oh Boy---Things have changed. This is a picture
of Morris B. Dents and our friendly mechanic
Thomas Hoister and myself, Rusty. I remember why
I am talking to you now. I need to tell you
about the difference between Morris B. Dents and
his cousin Lester Dents. We will refer to them
as Les Dents and Moore Dents.
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Hi Rusty, I am Dusty Rhodes, the route bus. Hey,
I heard Les Dents considers three factors while
driving the bus.

• The Vehicle.
• The Driver.
• The Conditions.

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Drivers Seat
This is Gus, his driver is Les Dents. He always
has a drivers compartment that is perfect. Les
does a great pre-trip.

• Properly adjusted
• Back support
• Able to reach all the controls needed to operate
  the bus
• Unobstructed view
• Wears a seat belt
• No objects placed
• where They
• obstruct the View

Washington County School District
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Pre- trip is how a defensive driver starts every
day!

• Check all fluids before starting the bus
• Check all the lights
• Check the gauges
• Check the heaters and fans
• Check under the bus
• Check storage bins

• Check tires, wheels, rims, lug nuts, etc
• Check the air brakes and other components of the
  system
• Check emergency exits
• Check seats

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Adjust Mirrors

• Mirrors are the drivers window to the danger
  zone!!
• They must be adjusted for maximum visibility
• while driving and loading and unloading
  children

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Mirrors

• What you see and how you use the mirrors are
• extremely important to you the driver.
• Seat adjustment
• Blind spots and depth perception
• 5 point mirror check
• Dead throttle pull away
• KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND YOU,
• BEFORE YOU MOVE THE BUS!

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OH BOY! I wish Morris B. Dents had known about
the danger zone. Who knows, maybe Sara on your
left, wouldnt have been hit by that car. Oh
Thats another story I cant talk about it now.
Please tell every child each time they get on
or off the bus about the Danger Zone and how to
cross the road safely!
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You need consistent rules and consequences that
are enforceable.

• Follow your district procedures.
• Include Parents/Principals
• Document and follow through!

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Part of due process is including the parents

• Send rules home
• Phone home
• Publish rules in papers
• Hold parent meetings
• Hold assemblies in the schools
• Teach children each quarter etc.
• Remind students everyday of safety rules
• Keep documentation and be consistent

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Drivers Include parents They can be your best
friend or the enemy The choice is yours.
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SAFETY of the children! That is the reason you
are here isnt it?
Dont become distracted while you are driving !
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• A 1
• T 20
• T 20
• I 9
• T 20
• U 21
• D 4
• E 5
• 100

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Children need to know they will reach their
destination safely
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Safe from Harassment

• Gender
• Race
• Ethnicity
• National Origin
• Religion
• Disability

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Safe from Bullying

• Behavior detrimental to safety
• Repeated
• Gang-related
• Disruptive
• Hazing

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It is our responsibility to transport students to
and from school ready to learn. This requires
an environment where the students feel safe.
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We have talked about the possibility of this
happening because of student behavior, what if
the driver wasnt using defensive driving
techniques?
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Defensive Driving Definition

• Driving to save lives, time, and money, in spite
  of the conditions around you and the actions of
  others.
• Saving lives is the most important goal of this
  course.
• Time is second in importance.
• - Collisions cause time and time is money.
• - Money is critical to life, however, money
• is secondary to life and time.

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Defensive Driver

• Identify potential collision-producing situations
  early.
• Know the proper defensive action to take for each
  situation.
• Act correctly and in time to prevent a collision.

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Sensory Devices

• These senses provide
• information while a
• person is driving.
• 1. Hearing
• 2. Touch
• 3. Smell
• 4. Sight
• Which is the only one a
• driver cannot do without?

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• Drivers who do not use their eyes correctly,
  limit the information needed to analyze any given
  situation.
• This may make a proper response impossible.
• Sight is the primary sensing device.

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Conditioned Responses ( HABIT)

• How people react to any given situation depends
  partly upon how successful past reactions to
  similar situations have been.
• A drivers response to situations is dependant
  upon quick perception and correct analysis.

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Prevention Formula
Recognize the hazard. Understand the
defense. Act correctly.
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Visual Lead Time or Scanning Ahead

• Visual lead time should be at least 12 seconds in
  city driving.
• This may increase to 20 to 30 seconds for
• rural, freeway or higher speed driving.

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Visual lead

• A lead time of 12-seconds may seem long, but
  consider that at 30 miles per hour visual would
  only be two city blocks ahead of your school bus.

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Did this bus maintain his circle of safety and
his following distance?
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Emotional Stress

• Running late
• Flat tire
• Family trouble
• Money issues
• A professional driver leaves their emotions
• at home and comes ready to drive the bus.

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Illness, Injury, Alcohol, Medication
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Fatigue or Drowsiness
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Defensive drivers never need to make sudden panic
stops.

• Driver Errors
• Collision
• Traffic violation
• Vehicle abuse
• Schedule delay
• Discourtesy
• Student management

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I get it, these are some of the reasonable
actions we can take to avoid collisions.

• Scan ahead.
• Mirror use.
• Safe following distance.
• Travel posted speed.

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This enforcer will be able to over come any
visual lead or speeding problem
you might have!!
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Wow! Rusty you are right. We have talked about
the vehicle condition, the driver condition. Now
what about the everyday conditions?
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The time just changed, now the sun is in my eyes
when I am loading students.
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Tell the person over bus stop safety about your
concerns

• Document and turn in your concerns.
• Provide solutions.
• Dont give personal opinions regarding stops
  unless it is to the office.
• Refer parents to the office when they ask
  questions regarding stop changes etc.
• Be part of the team.

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What type of roads do you drive on to pick up
students or drop them off? Are they safe? Does
your district have a policy on the type of road
you drive on?
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Safety at Bus Stops
Visibility in both directions (approx. 500ft)
Not on a hill or curve
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Stops are designated for safety reasons.

• Environmental issues
• Conditions that change with the calendar
• Student numbers, age, maturity
• Post-discharge conditions (must be met)
• Other people issues

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A trained team should pick bus stop placement.

• Visit the scene.
• Take photographs.
• Have experts render opinions or pull police
  reports.

• How is the stop or walk path maintained?
• Consider if there are any special factors

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Districts and Drivers Must

• Urge parents through school newsletters and
  transportation department communications to
  reinforce safe behavior by children walking to
  and from stops and school.
• Parents must be partners in achieving a safe
  walk for kids.

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When driving at night dont overdrive your
headlights

• When are you overdriving
• your headlights?
• When do you use your high
• beam headlights at night?

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Question Time

• This sign means?

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When are Highways the Most Slippery?
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Which One?

• If you have trouble seeing other
• vehicles because of dust,
• precipitation, or smoke blowing
• across the roadway, you
• should drive slower and turn on
• your_______
• Parking lights
• Interior lights
• Headlights

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Question, what does this mean?
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A combination of speed and water create a wedge
under the tires resulting in little or no contact
with the road surface. This is called
Hydroplaning.

• If your vehicle starts to hydroplane, you
• should?

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This is more snow than I can drive in. Can I say
it is unsafe to transport students?
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When a car with bright headlights comes toward
you at night, you should

• a. Move toward the right edge of your lane
• b. Look above the oncoming headlights
• c. Look below the oncoming headlights
• d. Look toward the right edge of your lane

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A collision in which the driver FAILED to do
everything reasonable to
avoid it !!
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Did this driver do everything reasonable to avoid
this incident?
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This looks a little like the last picture doesnt
it.
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Reasonable not Possible

• The possibilities are endless
• It was not an act of a higher power
• Someone was in error
• Reasonable can be taught and learned
• 90 of all incidents are causes by driver error!

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CRASHES ARE NOT ACCIDENTS, someone or
something is responsible.
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• In the event of a tire blowout it may cause a
  pull to the
• side and a loud noise. This could frighten the
  driver
• and the passengers. To keep control of the
  vehicle
• you should
• Grip steering wheel firmly steering down the
  center of the lane.
• Immediately press down on the accelerator.
• Steer the vehicle is a straight line and
  decelerate gradually.
• When the vehicle stabilizes slowly let off the
  accelerator and bring the vehicle to a smooth
  stop.
• Turn on your hazard lights and evacuate if
  necessary.

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• Where should you park when you need help
• after your tire suddenly deflates while driving
• on a highway?
• a. In the right hand lane
• b. Off the pavement
• c. Where your car will be visible for 200 feet
  from the front

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What do you think this means?
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Yes, more questions

• Turn your front wheels
• toward the curb when you
• are parked _____.
• a. Facing uphill
• b. On a level road
• c. Facing downhill

• On a sharp curve, you
• should use your brakes to
• slow your vehicle
• a. During the entire time you drive through a
  curve
• b. Before you enter the curve
• c. Just after you enter the curve

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Hills

• Procedures when approaching a hill on a two way
• roadway.
• Before topping the hill, slack off the throttle.
• Prepare to move to the right as far as safe.
• Prepare for the vehicle making a bad pass.
• THE DRIVER THAT TOPS THE HILL AT FULL POWER,
  WITHOUT TAKING A DEFENSIVE ACTION IS COURTING
  TROUBLE!

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Not on my bus !!
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The judgment of the driver will determine if the
vehicle enters the curve safely or enters at a
speed likely to make it go out of control.

• When entering a curve, gravity and friction
• can over come centrifugal force if the driver
• helps.
• Adjust speed and brake before entering the curve,
  avoid braking in the curve.
• Enter curve slow enough you can accelerate
  slightly to maintain your lane of travel.
• .

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Curves, Basic Laws of Physics

• The amount of friction depends on several things
• Road condition and composition
• Tire tread
• The angle the curve is banked.
• Speed
• Speed is the only factor the driver has control
  of while in that curve.

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Right Turn Basics

• Dont allow vehicles between the bus and curb.
• Check mirrors twice before signal.
• Signal three seconds before turning.
• Use mirrors before, during and after.
• Never cross the center line of the street you are
  turning from.

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Which way do I go?
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Left Turn Basics

• Control your vehicle at all times.
• Slow speed ( 5 MPH) before turning.
• Signal 3 seconds before turning.
• Enter correct lane.
• DO NOT CUT CORNERS!
• Keep the wheels straight while stopped.
• Always use mirrors and watch for traffic.
• Watch for pedestrians.

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When turning always use your reference points

• When waiting to make a left turn, you should
• give the right-of-way to vehicles coming from
• the opposite direction
• a. Until at least two vehicles have passed
• b. Until dangerously close cars have passed
• c. Until all of the cars have passed

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Protected Intersections

• These intersections are controlled by Official
  Traffic Control Device.
• Make eye contact
• Headlights
• Off the throttle, cover the brake when entering
  an intersection.
• Never try to time the light change, know how to
  read the signals.
• Always be on the defense!!

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Six Points of Conflict at Intersections

• Vehicle crossing from the left.
• On coming vehicle, turning right
• Vehicle approaching form the right, turning left
  across your lane
• Through vehicle approaching from right
• Right turning vehicle approaching from right
• Left turning vehicle approaching from left
  

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I remember some incidents at railroad crossings
that involved some of my friends. School buses
have to be extremely careful so the children get
to school safely.
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Railroad Crossings

• What does 15 and 50 refer to?
• What does active and passive Mean?
• Eight-way lights or four way emergency flashers?

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• LOOK
• LISTEN
• LIVE

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Steering the bus

• What are you doing with the steering wheel?
• Anyone can steer the front axel around a turn.
• What is meant by wheelbase?
• Conventional or Transit

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Reaction Time

• How far the bus will travel from the time it
  takes to react and move your foot from the
  accelerator to the brake pedal when a rapid stop
  is required.
• ¾ of a second is average reaction time, based on
  people and components that are in good condition
  and the driver paying close attention.

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Reaction Time

• Add the first digit of
• the speed to the
• operating speed .
• 20mph? 202 22 ft
• 40mph? 404 44 ft
• 75mph? 75782 ft

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Braking Distance

• Multiply the first digit of the speed times the
  speed
• 20mph? 20x2 40ft
• 40mph? 40x4 160ft
• 75mph? 75x7 525ft

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Total Stopping Distance

• Add the Reaction time to the Braking Distance.
• 20mph? 4022 62ft
• 40mph? 44160 204ft
• 75mph? 82525 607ft

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Bicycles and Animals

• School bus drivers sometimes encounter animals of
  various kinds.
• Dogs- at stops or on routes
• Deer- routes and activity trips
• Horse back riders.
• Use caution and common sense.

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Cyclists

• Bicycles are classified as vehicles
• The cyclist are expected to obey traffic rules
• Collisions are often fatal to a cyclist
• Defensive driving techniques are doubly important
  here.
• THINK about it.

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Child cyclist

• A child might not know nor obey all the
  traffic rules.
• Our job to protect them
• Slow down
• Tap the horn
• Keep them in front of of you
• Watch for those who hold on to the bus

Use common sense and extreme caution !!
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A pedestrian crossing at the corner has the
right-of-way

• A pedestrian crossing at the
• corner has the right-of-way
• At marked crosswalks only
• At marked or unmarked crosswalks
• Only at intersections controlled by signals,
  lights, or stop signs

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Traffic symbols, signals, and signs

• This sign means          
• Business district ahead
• Divided highway ahead
• Obstructed roadway ahead

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• An orange and red sign of this shape means
           
• Roadwork ahead
• Vehicle has the right of way
• Slow-moving vehicle

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• The following sign indicates
• The right lane will end ahead
• The highway will be divided ahead
• Less space between lanes ahead

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• This sign means that you should not pass
• Other vehicles for any reason
• Unless it seems safe to do so
• Until after passing the sign

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Non Verbal Communication
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• Which of the
• following must
• you obey over the
• other three
• A steady red light
• Police officer
• Stop sign
• Flashing red light

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• Which of the following is used on some highways
  to direct drivers into the proper lanes for
  turning
• Flashing red lights
• Flashing yellow lights
• White lines on the side of the road
• White arrows in the middle of the lanes

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What are the colors of the warning signs that
indicate hazards ahead, such as curves in the
road or narrow bridges

• Black letters or symbols on a white background
• Black letters or symbols on a yellow background
• White letters or symbols on a blue background
• White letters or symbols on a green background

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• This must be the place where you make a decision.
  
• Go around the block.
• Avoid the HAZARD.
• Dont go there!

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A driver must ensure their students know how to
evacuate a bus in case of an emergency. Pay
attention to what is around you at all times,
including behind you. Always know a way out.
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Keep your aisle and exit windows clear. It
takes less than a minute ½ to fill a bus with
smoke. A bus can burn in less than two minutes.
Next is pictures of my friend that burned.
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The driver trained the students to exit the bus
in case of an emergency!
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Many conditions can affect your driving. Do
come to work prepared?
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Now the Test