PTSI Preventabilty Assessment Service · an accident for assessment. The fee is $150 per...

PTSI School Bus Accident Preventability Assessment Service

PTSI believes it is essential to assess all injury or property damage incidents,accidents, and crashes for preventability. We strongly recommend that every pupiltransportation operation establish its own internal accident review board for thatpurpose. But in some situations, obtaining an objective, expert, third-party accidentreview may be useful in assessing preventability.

PTSI’s school bus accident assessment service is school bus-specific. The criteriautilized by PTSI when assessing accidents are included below. The PTSI criteriawere inspired by and are intended to supplement “generic” accident preventabilitycriteria such as the National Safety Council’s.

PTSI utilizes a committee of experienced school bus professionals from across thecountry to assist staff when assessing accidents.

The “Accident Submission Form” included below should be used when submittingan accident for assessment. The fee is $150 per assessment.

Upon receipt of the required information, PTSI will provide an assessment withinten working days. The PTSI assessment will be in the form of a letter to theindividual submitting the information about the accident (see the form, below).

Questions about this service?Call PTSI at 800-836-2210 or e-mail us at [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]

PTSI SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT ASSESSMENT SERVICE

ACCIDENT SUBMISSION FORM(Important: Type or print legibly.)

Name of individual submitting this information: ______________________________________

Position/Title of individual submitting this information: ________________________________

Daytime phone of individual submitting this information: _______________________________

E-mail address of individual submitting this information: _______________________________

Mailing address of individual submitting this information: ______________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________Note: The completed PTSI assessment of the accident will be returned to the above address.

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Date of accident: ___________________

School District/Bus Company name: ____________________________________________

Accident description and narrative - what happened? Include all relevant details and information.Use additional pages if necessary:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

(Form continues on side 2)

PTSI Accident Assessment Form 1

Accident diagram:

Bus driver statement (attach on a separate sheet if preferred):

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Note: Attach any additional information, police reports, photos, etc. that may be relevant to theaccident assessment.

Submit this completed form and additional documentation to:

PTSI Accident Assessment Service

224 Harrison St., Suite 300 • Syracuse, NY 13202

The information requested on this form can also be submitted electronically, [email protected]

PTSI Accident Assessment Form 2


§ Introduction§ PTSI 2005-1: Animal-Related Accidents§ PTSI 2005-2: Attendant Injuries§ PTSI 2005-3: ATVs/Snowmobiles/

Mowers/Snow-Blowers§ PTSI 2005-4: Backing Accidents§ PTSI 2005-5: Behavior Problem on the

Bus§ PTSI 2005-6: Bikes and Motorcycles§ PTSI 2005-7: Bus-Bus Accidents§ PTSI 2005-8: Bus Driver Not Wearing

Seat Belt§ PTSI 2005-9: Bus Struck from Rear§ PTSI 2005-10: Bus Yard Accidents§ PTSI 2005-11: Child Safety Restraint

System Not Used Properly§ PTSI 2005-12: Children Grabbing Back of

Bus§ PTSI 2005-13: Construction Zones§ PTSI 2005-14: Deadhead Accidents§ PTSI 2005-15: Disabled Bus Struck by

Another Vehicle§ PTSI 2005-16: Driveways§ PTSI 2005-17: Fixed Object§ PTSI 2005-18: Fog Accidents§ PTSI 2005-19: Following Too Close§ PTSI 2005-20: Fueling Station Accidents§ PTSI 2005-21: Glare§ PTSI 2005-22: Hazard Reporting§ PTSI 2005-23: Head-On Accidents§ PTSI 2005-24: Inadequate Clearance§ PTSI 2005-25: Injuries Due to Evasive

Action (Swerving, Braking)§ PTSI 2005-26: Injury During Bus Drill§ PTSI 2005-27: Intersections§ PTSI 2005-28: Lane Encroachment

Accidents

§ PTSI 2005-29: Mechanical Failure§ PTSI 2005-30: Night Accidents§ PTSI 2005-31: Object Piercing Bus§ PTSI 2005-32: Off-Road Accidents§ PTSI 2005-33: Off Route/Unauthorized

Route Change§ PTSI 2005-34: Parked Vehicles§ PTSI 2005-35: Passing and Being Passed§ PTSI 2005-36: Pedestrians§ PTSI 2005-37: Prior Damage§ PTSI 2005-38: Railroad Crossings§ PTSI 2005-39: Reading Route Sheet or

Note While Driving§ PTSI 2005-40: Radio or Cell Phone Use§ PTSI 2005-41: Road Rage Incidents§ PTSI 2005-42: School Site Accidents§ PTSI 2005-43: Slippery Road Conditions§ PTSI 2005-44: Student Bumps Head§ PTSI 2005-45: Student Failure to Wear

Safety Belt§ PTSI 2005-46: Student Fight on Bus§ PTSI 2005-47: Student Hand, Foot, or

Head Outside Bus§ PTSI 2005-48: Student Injury Due to

Improper Seating§ PTSI 2005-49: Student Jump from Bus§ PTSI 2005-50: Student Left on Bus§ PTSI 2005-51: Student

Loading/Unloading§ PTSI 2005-52: Student Slips, Trips, or

Falls§ PTSI 2005-53: Substitute Drivers§ PTSI 2005-54: Talking to Passenger While

Driving§ PTSI 2005-55: Time Pressure on Route§ PTSI 2005-56: Turning§ PTSI 2005-57: Unsecured Bus

SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT PREVENTABILITY GUIDELINESPUPIL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY INSTITUTE

2005 Edition

CONTENTS

School Bus Accident Preventability Guidelines (PTSI, 2005) - may be copied for local use.1

§ PTSI 2005-58: Water in Road§ PTSI 2005-59: Wheelchair Student Injury§ PTSI 2005-60: Wire on Bus

INTRODUCTION

The following preventability guidelines havebeen developed by the Pupil TransportationSafety Institute to provide school district andbus company Accident Review Boards withschool bus-specific criteria for assessingaccidents and incidents for preventability.

The guidelines contained in this document arebased on a high standard of defensive driving.Because of their responsibility for children’ssafety, school bus drivers are rightfully held tothe highest safety standard. And, although busdrivers are legally responsible for the safeoperation of the bus, school bus attendants alsohave a serious responsibility for children’ssafety, and should also be expected to carefullyfollow all safety procedures. Where relevant totheir duties, criteria for evaluating the atten-dant’s role in preventing an injury or otherincident are also included in these guidelines.

It is our experience that when applied fairly andconsistently, high safety standards are acceptedby the great majority of school bus drivers andattendants.

Yet, the safety standards applied to school busdrivers and attendants must also be reasonable.Even highly safety-conscious school bus driversand attendants cannot prevent all accidents.We have tried to ground these guidelines in thereality of today’s challenging trafficenvironment.

For a professional school bus driver, “defensivedriving” means doing everything reasonablypossible to avoid an accident in spite of theunsafe or illegal actions of others, or challeng-ing environmental conditions. “Prevent” meanstaking decisive counteraction to keepsomething unfortunate from occurring.“Preventable” means an alert school bus driver

(or attendant, where applicable) could haveforeseen, and therefore avoided, an accident orincident.

A finding of preventability does not necessarilyimply “fault” or “liability” in a legal sense.

As indicated in the title of this document, weuse the term “accident.” “Crash” is preferredby some traffic safety organizations, but sincemany school bus passenger injuries occur innon-collision events (i.e., children falling fromtheir seats; wheelchair spills; attendant slip inthe aisle, etc.) we believe “accident” is a moreaccurate and inclusive term for the pupil trans-portation industry.

By “accident,” we mean an unintended eventresulting in injury or death, and/or propertydamage. Accident does not imply “withoutcause.”

Careful accident analysis is essential to schoolbus safety. Failure to learn what caused anaccident increases the chance of a similaraccident occurring in the future.

Only a careful investigation provides enoughinformation to fairly determine whether anaccident could have been prevented. A returnto the accident scene to review sight lines andview obstructions, traffic patterns, and otherfactors will be necessary to make a fair andrealistic determination.

In some cases, an honest investigator willdecide that a particular accident cannot bejudged as preventable or non-preventablebecause the results of the investigation areinconclusive. Every accident is unique to somedegree. It is not the intent of these guidelinesto oversimplify complicated events or to claimthat accidents always fit into neat categories.Some degree of judgment is unavoidable inassessing accidents in the real world. The basicquestion should always be, “Is there somethingthe bus driver or attendant could have done


that would have prevented this accident inthese particular circumstances.”

Accidents usually have multiple causes. Inmany cases, more than one preventability crite-rion listed on the following pages will apply toan accident. All pertinent criteria should benoted in the Accident Review Board’s finaldetermination. For instance, if the accidentinvolved backing in the bus yard, both“Backing” and “Bus Yard” criteria should becited.

Taken individually, some contributing factorsmay appear relatively inconsequential. Forinstance, a school bus driver who doesn’tadequately compensate for view obstructionson the bus by “rocking before rolling” into anintersection may get away with it for years,until one day, in an unfortunate but ultimatelypredictable combination of circumstances, the“bad habit” results in a tragedy. In hindsight,preventable accidents often appear to be theeventually inevitable result of a long chain ofunresolved “minor” safety problems.

We have arranged the criteria alphabeticallyand numbered them for easy reference. Werecommend quoting the actual text of therelevant criteria in the final accident report.

As noted, the purpose of the guidelines beloware assess the bus driver’s or attendant’sactions in regards to an accident. However,other parties besides the bus driver or attendantoften contribute to accidents. Organizationalpreventability, for instance, can also beassessed. Was there anything the bus driver’semployer could have done to prevent theaccident? In terms of making sure it doesn’thappen again, organizational preventability is asimportant a question as whether the driver orattendant could have prevented an accident.However, organizational preventability is notthe focus of this document. (Those interestedin organizational and other factors contributingto school bus accidents may wish to read

PTSI’s School Bus Accident Management,Documentation, and Investigation.)

One inspiration for this document is theNational Safety Council’s publication, “Guide-lines for Determining Accident Preventability.”We strongly recommend all pupil transportersacquire a copy of this historic document, whichis available for purchase from the NSC website.But while useful, NSC’s accident criteria aregeneric. School bus accidents have manyunique characteristics not addressed in the NSCdocument. Addressing school bus-specificaccident factors is the reason PTSI developedthese guidelines.

We recommend sharing these guidelines withall transportation staff - drivers, attendants,trainers, instructors, and mechanics. Prevent-ability guidelines are an excellent tool forstimulating discussion about defensive drivingand accident reduction.

If you have questions or comments about theseguidelines, or about accident assessment ingeneral, please contact PTSI [email protected], or call us at800-836-2210.

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PTSI 2005-1: ANIMAL-RELATEDACCIDENTS

The primary responsibility of the school busdriver is to protect children on the bus.Sometimes, such as when traveling steepmountain grades or in heavy highway traffic, itis safer to strike an animal than try to avoidhitting it. When evasive action to avoid strik-ing an animal results in a crash with anothervehicle, a fixed object, a layover, or a rollover,the accident should be considered preventableon the part of the bus driver.

If striking an animal can be safely avoided, itshould be. It is the responsibility of profes-sional drivers to read the road ahead for



potential hazards, including deer or otheranimals standing near the roadway that mightsuddenly bolt in front of the vehicle. Schoolbus drivers should be prepared to stop for orotherwise avoid an animal suddenly enteringthe roadway in front of their vehicle. “Watchfor deer” signs should be observed, and acorresponding higher degree of caution shouldbe exhibited in such areas.

However, when an animal (of any type) runsinto the side or rear of the vehicle, entering theroadway laterally just as the vehicle waspassing and providing little if any reaction timeto the driver, the accident may benon-preventable on the bus driver’s part unlessother factors are present. A careful investiga-tion will be necessary to determine if the busdriver realistically could have prevented thecollision with the animal under suchcircumstances.

PTSI 2005-2: ATTENDANT INJURIES

Attendants are responsible for exercisingcaution to prevent an injury to themselvesduring the bus ride and while boarding orexiting.

If the attendant was unnecessarily standing ornot sitting properly, facing forward, an atten-dant injury resulting from a crash, bump, orsudden stop may be considered preventable onthe attendant’s part. Attendants should sitproperly unless they must move about the busto monitor student behavior, or to attend to aparticular student or students due to a seriousbehavior problem, medical concern, or otherurgent need. Whenever possible, attendantsshould choose a seat that allows them tomonitor student behavior without having to getout of their seat. A careful investigation of thereasons the attendant was standing will benecessary to fairly determine preventability.

If passenger restraints are available on thevehicle, and the failure of the attendant to wear

them contributed to an attendant injury, theinjury should be considered preventable on theattendant’s part.

Attendants are responsible for holding thehandrail when boarding or exiting the bus.Attendant slips and falls on the bus steps arepreventable.

Attendants are responsible for safe footwearand clothing. Shoes or boots with goodtraction are essential for the variety of surfaceconditions attendants will encounter as they geton and off the bus. Attendant injuries due toslips or trips on wet or slippery surfaces mustbe considered preventable. Slippery surfacesare a foreseeable occurrence.

Attendants should not wear clothing with long,dangling drawstrings, straps, or other looseitems that could become snagged in equipmentsuch as the handrail, passenger door, fire extin-guisher bracket, or wheelchair lift mechanism.Injuries due to attendant clothing snagging inequipment are preventable.

If their duties include operating the wheelchairlift, attendants should exercise caution. Atten-dants should not operate the lift unless theyknow how it works. Fingers, hands, and feetmust be protected from the lift mechanism orplatform. Attendants should not stand directlyin front of the lift platform as the lift door isopened, or while it is being lowered or raised.Injuries from wheelchair lifts are preventable.

An attendant injury caused by a student assault,or because the attendant was attempting toprevent an injury to one student by another,should not be considered preventable on theattendant’s (or driver’s) part.

An attendant injury resulting from anothervehicle striking the attendant as he or she wasoutside the bus to escort children on or off, ispreventable. It is the attendant’s responsibilityto remain alert for approaching vehicles beforedisembarking, and while off the bus. Attendant


alertness is necessary to prevent an injury to theattendant, but also to the students.

PTSI 2005-3:

ATVS/SNOWMOBILES/MOWERS/SNOW-BLOWERS

Collisions with small, off-road vehicles, such asATVs or snowmobiles, which have entered theroadway, are often preventable on the busdriver’s part. The bus driver is responsible forchecking the terrain ahead of the path of thebus for hazards, including off-road vehicles. Inareas where a major snowmobile trail crossesthe roadway, a higher degree of bus driveralertness is called for. It is the responsibility of bus drivers to stay alert for ATVs or snowmo-biles driving on the shoulder of the roadway,whether legally or not, and to give them wideberth when passing on the adjoining roadway.

Individuals operating lawn mowers, snowblowers, or other maintenance equipmentshould be carefully watched for the possibilityof suddenly entering the roadway. Striking anindividual operating a lawnmower or snow-blower is a preventable accident.

However, when a small, off-road vehicle entersthe roadway laterally from the rear quarter ofthe bus and strikes the side or rear of the bus, itmay not be preventable on the bus driver’s partunless other factors were involved. A carefulinvestigation will be necessary to determinepreventability in such a case.

PTSI 2005-4: BACKING ACCIDENTS

With few exceptions, school bus backingaccidents are preventable. A school bus driveris not relieved of his or her responsibility toback safely even if a spotter or another driver ishelping to direct the maneuver. The school busdriver is personally responsible for making sureit’s safe to back.

Backing into a fixed object, another vehicle, ora person is preventable. This includes backingaccidents in which another vehicle pulledbehind the bus or a pedestrian walked behindthe bus, and backing accidents in which aspotter misdirected the bus driver. Accidents inwhich the bus driver backed unnecessarily arepreventable. For instance, pulling too close tothe vehicle ahead at a stop light may require thebus driver to back up if that vehicle stalls or isdelayed. If an accident occurs in such ascenario, it should be considered preventable.Accidents occurring because a substitute busdriver “missed the stop” and backed into avehicle behind the bus are preventable.Backing off the roadway, into a ditch or onto alawn, is preventable. Backing into low-hangingobjects such as tree limbs, porches, or wires ispreventable. It is the bus driver’s responsibilityto make sure it is safe to back.

Backing accidents occurring in the bus yard, atthe fueling station, or in the bus loading area onschool grounds are preventable.

Failure to warn pedestrians in the area byhonking the horn before backing is anotherindicator of preventability on the bus driver’spart. Even if the bus is equipped with aback-up beeper, honking the horn provides anadditional measure of safety. Back-up beeperscan be hard to hear or interpret in certainsituations.

If an attendant is present on the bus, it is alsothe attendant’s responsibility to assist the driverwhen backing by “spotting” from inside thebus. A backing accident in which the attendantdid not spot for the driver is preventable onboth the bus driver’s and the attendant’s part.

PTSI 2005-5: BEHAVIOR PROBLEM ONTHE BUS

An accident resulting from driver distractiondue to a student behavior problem on the bus isa preventable accident on the bus driver’s part.


Bus drivers should stop the bus in a safelocation when serious behavior problems occur.The internal overhead mirror over the busdriver’s head should be utilized by the busdriver only for brief spot checks of passengerbehavior, not for prolonged monitoring or foraddressing a serious behavior problem.

If an attendant was present, and was makingreasonable efforts to control the problembehavior when the bus driver became distractedand the accident occurred, the accident shouldnot be regarded as preventable on the atten-dant’s part. If, however, the attendant wasignoring the behavior and letting the driver dealwith it, the accident should be regarded aspreventable on the attendant’s part as well asthe driver’s.

However, an injury resulting from a student’ssudden, unpredictable assault on anotherstudent, a driver, or an attendant should beconsidered non-preventable.

PTSI 2005-6: BIKES, MOTORCYCLES,SKATEBOARDS, ROLLER BLADES

It is the bus driver’s responsibility to avoidcollisions with bikes, motorcycles, and personson skateboards or roller blades, even when theoperators of these vehicles do not follow therules of the road or act unsafely. A defensivedriver gives wide berth when approaching orovertaking bikes, motorcycles, and persons onskateboards or roller blades.

However, when a motorcycle operator crashesinto the back of a stopped or slower-movingbus, it may not be preventable on the busdriver’s part, unless the bus driver stopped orslowed suddenly due to a failure to followother vehicles at a safe distance, or a failure toread the road ahead for potential hazards.

PTSI 2005-7: BUS-BUS ACCIDENTS

Bus-bus accidents are preventable. The driverof the tailing bus should allow enough follow-ing distance so he or she is able to stop safely ifthe lead bus stops suddenly. Sufficient follow-ing distance is necessary in all drivingsituations, including when leaving schoolgrounds at dismissal and on field trip convoys.

PTSI 2005-8: BUS DRIVER NOTWEARING SEAT BELT

Accidents in which the bus driver was thrownfrom the driver’s seat due to failure to wear theseat belt, resulting in loss of control of the bus,are preventable. Potholes, rough pavement, orevasive action should not result in a driverbeing thrown from the seat if he or she isproperly secured. Injuries to a bus driverresulting from a failure to wear the seat belt, orfailure to wear it properly, are preventable.

Claims that the seat belt buckle malfunctioned,resulting in the driver being thrown from theseat, should be carefully investigated by quali-fied investigators.

PTSI 2005-9: BUS STRUCK FROMREAR

A stopped school bus struck in the rear byanother vehicle is not a preventable accident onthe bus driver’s part, if the following conditionsare met:

§ Bus was stopped in an approved, appropri-ate area when struck from behind. Forinstance, at an approved bus stop, a railroadcrossing, or at a traffic signal or stop sign.

§ Bus driver slowed gradually for therequired stop, allowing motorists behindthe bus time to react and stop.

§ Bus driver allowed adequate followingdistance between the bus and the vehicle


ahead, permitting a gradual stop when thevehicle ahead stopped unexpectedly, allow-ing motorists behind the bus time to reactand stop as well.

A careful investigation will be necessary todetermine if the above conditions apply.

Injuries to students unnecessarily seated in therearmost seats of a partly loaded bus should beregarded as preventable. Rearmost seatsshould be kept empty whenever possible.

PTSI 2005-10: BUS YARD ACCIDENTS

Accidents in the bus yard are preventable. Busyards are typically congested, constricteddriving environments, and a high degree ofcaution is necessary at all times. The followingtypes of bus yard accidents should be regardedas preventable:

§ Bus strikes another bus (parked ormoving). Striking a mirror on another busis a preventable accident.

§ Bus strikes a pedestrian (another driver,attendant, mechanic, supervisor, et al).

§ Bus strikes yard fence or gate.

§ Bus driver gets off bus without securing it,and bus rolls into another bus, a fixedobject, or a pedestrian.

§ Bus strikes bus driver, attendant, or otherindividual in the bus yard.

§ Bus driver leaves parking spot withoutunplugging engine heater cord.

§ Bus driver leaves fueling area withoutremoving fuel nozzle.

PTSI 2005-11: CHILD SAFETYRESTRAINT SYSTEM NOT USEDPROPERLY

An injury to a student resulting from improperuse of a child safety restraint system is a

preventable accident on the bus driver’s part.If an attendant is assigned to the run, the injuryshould also be regarded as preventable on theattendant’s part. Preventable child safetyrestraint system-related incidents include:

§ Child falls out of restraint.

§ Restraint tips over or falls off seat.

§ Restraint too large or too small for child,resulting in an injury.

PTSI 2005-12: CHILDREN GRABBINGBACK OF BUS

Risk-taking youngsters sometimes try to“hitch” a ride on a bus by grabbing hold of theback bumper, especially in snowy or icy condi-tions. Youngsters may attempt this dangerousaction on foot, or while riding a skateboard,roller blades, bike, or sled. It is the responsibil-ity of the bus driver to be aware of pedestriansand operators of small vehicles near orapproaching the bus. The bus should not bemoved if pedestrians or operators of smallvehicles are too close to it. An injury resultingfrom a student hitching on the bus should beregarded as preventable on the bus driver’spart.

PTSI 2005-13: CONSTRUCTION ZONES

Avoiding accidents in construction zones is theresponsibility of the school bus driver.Complying with reduced speed limits, detourroutes, and exercising a high level of cautionwhen passing working construction equipmentor flag persons is the responsibility of the busdriver. Determining if there is adequate clear-ance is the bus driver’s responsibility. Anaccident in a construction zone should beregarded as preventable on the bus driver’spart.


PTSI 2005-14: DEADHEAD ACCIDENTS

Accidents occurring after dropping offstudents, on the return trip to base, should bejudged by the same preventability criteria asaccidents with students on board. It is the busdriver’s responsibility to avoid “letting his/herguard down” on the trip back to base.

Accidents caused by driver distraction due tounnecessary conversation with the bus atten-dant on the trip back to base, after dischargingall students, are preventable on the bus driver’spart.

PTSI 2005-15: DISABLED BUSSTRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE

If a mechanical problem occurs, it is the busdriver’s responsibility to attempt to protect thedisabled bus. Specifically, bus drivers should:

§ Attempt to stop the bus in a safe location,well off the roadway and well away fromthrough traffic.

§ Activate 4-way “hazard” flashers at once.

§ Place triangle reflectors appropriately toalert other motorists to the disabled bus.

§ If the bus must be stopped in a hazardouslocation, students should be evacuated to asafer area as soon as it is possible to do sosafely.

Failure to carry out the above measures is anindication of preventability on the bus driver’spart if an accident occurs to the disabled bus.

PTSI 2005-16: DRIVEWAYS

Accidents involving traffic originating fromresidential or commercial driveways should becarefully analyzed to determine what measuresthe professional driver might have taken toavoid the occurrence. Defensive driverscarefully scan vehicles in driveways foroccupants, for signs that the vehicle is running,

etc. Failure to recognize a vehicle pulling outof a driveway into the path of the bus or intothe side of the bus, should be considered causeto determine such an accident as preventable.

PTSI 2005-17: FIXED OBJECT

Collisions with fixed objects are preventable.Fixed objects include:

§ Parked (legally or illegally) or disabledvehicles.

§ Traffic signs and signals.

§ Utility poles.

§ Fences and gates.

§ Trees.

§ Guardrails and traffic barriers.

§ Traffic bollards.

§ Residential or commercial structures.

§ Boulders.

§ Mailboxes.

§ Basketball hoops next to the roadway.

§ Fire hydrants.

§ Bus shelters.

§ Trash cans.

Any contact between the bus and a fixed objectshould be considered a preventable accident.Striking a fixed object with the bus mirror is apreventable accident. Fixed object collisionsusually involve the bus driver’s failure to checkor properly judge clearances.

Traffic signs and utility poles that “lean” intothe roadway, or dips in the roadway surfacethat cause a bus to “lurch” into a sign or polenear the roadway, do not eliminate the busdriver’s responsibility for reading the roadwayahead and giving wide berth for unusualhazards. Incidents involving students who stick


their arms, lets, or heads out the bus windowand are struck by nearby poles, signs, trees, orother fixed objects, are preventable on the busdriver’s part.

PTSI 2005-18: FOG ACCIDENTS

Foggy conditions can be very localized. It isthe bus driver’s responsibility to ascertainwhether dense fog in a particular area is toohazardous to continue on the route or to stopthe bus to load or unload students. In heavyfog, the bus driver should activate 4-way“hazard” flashers, and strobe lights if the bus isso equipped, until able to stop the bus in a safelocation, well off the roadway. Base should beimmediately notified by radio by the driver ofthe situation. An accident resulting fromcontinuing to operate in heavy fog should beconsidered preventable on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-19: FOLLOWING TOOCLOSE

It is the responsibility of the school bus driverto avoid striking the vehicle ahead, regardlessof its abrupt, unexpected, or illegal stop, bymaintaining a safe following distance at alltimes. This includes being prepared for possi-ble obstructions in the roadway, whether inplain view or hidden by the crest of a hill or thecurve of a roadway. Following distance mustbe maintained in all driving environments,including in heavy traffic, on school sites, andin bus convoys on field trips.

Night speed should not be greater than thatwhich will permit the vehicle to come to a stopwithin the forward distance illuminated by thevehicle's headlights.

PTSI 2005-20: FUELING STATIONACCIDENTS

A high degree of caution around bus yardfueling stations is necessary at all times. Busdrivers, mechanics, and other transportationstaff may be present around the fueling station.It is the responsibility of the bus driver to fullysecure the bus when fueling and to rememberto remove the fuel nozzle when finished, beforedriving off. Collisions with other vehicles orfixed objects (i.e., bollards, fuel pumps, poles)at or near the fueling station should be consid-ered preventable on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-21: GLARE

It is the responsibility of the school bus driverto adjust speed to traffic and weather condi-tions, including sun glare, headlight glare, orconstruction zone glare. Accidents in which thebus strikes another vehicle that has slowed orstopped, or a fixed object, are preventable onthe bus driver’s part.

Accidents resulting from another motoristbeing temporarily blinded by glare and strikingthe stopped school bus, or striking a studentboarding or exiting the bus, must be carefullyassessed for bus driver preventability. Busdrivers who encounter a significant problemwith sun glare at a particular bus stop during acertain time of the year, increasing the risk thata motorist will be blinded and not see thestopped bus, should report the problem to asupervisor for possible relocation of the stop.Failure to report a known significant hazard ator near a bus stop, including glare, should leadto a finding of preventability on the bus driver’spart.

PTSI 2005-22: HAZARD REPORTING

It is the responsibility of school bus drivers andbus attendants to report hazardous situations,including:


§ Significant or unusual hazards on the routeor at or near a bus stop.

§ Dangerous actions of students.

§ A mechanical defect on the bus.

§ A mechanical defect on a student’s wheel-chair or other type of adaptive equipment.

§ Any other significant safety problem.

Failure to report a known hazard that eventu-ally results in an accident or injury is an indica-tion of preventability on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-23: HEAD-ON ACCIDENTS

Collisions with vehicles approaching from theopposite direction must be carefully assessed.The exact location of vehicles, prior to and atthe point of impact, must be determined toascertain which vehicle was out of its properdriving lane. Even though an oncoming vehicleenters the bus driver’s traffic lane, it may bepossible for the bus driver to avoid the collisionby moving to the right, or even driving off theroadway. Driving off the roadway to avoid ahead-on collision should not be regarded as apreventable accident on the bus driver’s part,even if the bus struck a fixed object or therewas physical damage to the bus. However, theinvestigator must carefully determine, usingroadway evidence, witness statements, andvideo footage if available, whether or not thebus driver’s claim that another vehicle wasapproaching head-on is valid. A bus driver’sfailure to attempt evasive action to avoid anoncoming vehicle should result in a finding ofpreventability on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-24: INADEQUATECLEARANCE

Bus drivers are responsible for knowing theirvehicle’s height (including emergency roofhatches) and width, and for avoiding “tight”situations where the bus might not fit such as

low bridges, overhead doors, rain aprons infront of buildings, and parking garages, orbetween parked vehicles on a narrow street.This responsibility includes bus drivers using anunfamiliar bus - it is the driver’s responsibilityto determine vehicle clearance before settingout on the road. Adjusting for snow buildup inthe roadway should be taken into account whenapproaching a low clearance situation. Strikinga fixed object due to low or narrow clearance ispreventable on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-25: INJURIES DUE TOEVASIVE ACTION (SWERVING,BRAKING)

An injury to a student resulting from evasiveaction by the bus driver to prevent accidentmay or may not be preventable, and the precisecircumstances of the incident will have to bethoroughly investigated. If sudden evasiveaction was itself the result of poor defensivedriving by the bus driver, such as failing toadequately read the road ahead for potentialhazards, then the injury should be regarded as apreventable incident by the bus driver. If,however, the sudden evasive action was theresult of circumstances that could not bereasonably foreseen by the bus driver, such asan oncoming vehicle suddenly steering towardthe bus, or a pedestrian suddenly and withoutwarning turning toward the road and into thepath of the bus, then the incident should not beregarded as preventable.

Injuries occurring because of improper studentseating in conjunction with sudden evasiveaction by the bus driver must also be closelyinvestigated to accurately determine the extentof the driver’s efforts to require students to sitproperly. Even with a strong effort by the busdriver to require students to sit properly, it isunreasonable to expect that all students willcomply at all times. If the bus driver has madea consistent, legitimate effort to requirestudents to sit properly (i.e., teaching them its


importance, reminding them regularly of therule, and when necessary using the schooldistrict’s progressive discipline procedures toaddress the occasional student who openlydefies the rule), then an injury resulting fromimproper student seating should not beregarded as a preventable accident on the busdriver’s part. If, however, the investigationreveals that the bus driver did not make aconcerted effort to teach or enforce safestudent seating, then an injury resulting fromimproper seating should be regarded as apreventable accident on the bus driver’s part.

If an attendant is present, it is also the atten-dant’s responsibility to enforce safe studentseating. The same preventability standardapplies to attendants as to bus drivers (aboveparagraph) - was a concerted effort made tomake students sit safely?

Injuries arising from improper wheelchairsecurement in conjunction with evasive actionby the bus driver should be regarded aspreventable on the bus driver’s part (and if anattendant is present, on the attendant’s part aswell). Wheelchairs, and the students usingthem, should be adequately secured so evasiveaction does not result in a spill or an injury.This standard applies regardless of the type ofsecurement system being utilized, or the type ofwheelchair being secured. It is the driver’s andattendant’s responsibility to learn how tosecure the wheelchair and wheelchair passengerproperly, seeking assistance from the trainer orsupervisor when difficulties arise. The busshould not be moved until the driver and atten-dant are confident the wheelchair and passen-ger are safely secured. A “shake test” of thesecured wheelchair should be performed beforethe bus proceeds to make sure it is adequatelysecured.

PTSI 2005-26: INJURY DURING BUSDRILL

Bus drivers are responsible for maintainingorder during a bus drill. Students should not beallowed to practice exiting from an emergencydoor in an unsafe fashion, such as jumping fromthe door, or pushing and shoving each otherduring egress. Student injuries arising due tounsafe practice evacuations are preventable onthe bus driver’s part.

If an attendant is present, the attendant shouldalso be held responsible for maintaining orderduring the drill.

PTSI 2005-27: INTERSECTIONS

The National Safety Council statement abouthow to assess intersection collisions forpreventability cannot be improved upon: “It isthe responsibility of professional drivers toapproach, enter and cross intersectionsprepared to avoid accidents that might occurthrough the action of other drivers. Complextraffic movement, blind intersections, or failureof the ‘other driver’ to conform to law ortraffic control devices will not automaticallydischarge an accident as ‘not preventable.’Intersection accidents are preventable eventhough the professional driver has not violatedtraffic regulations.”

School bus drivers should approach all inter-sections prepared to stop. Blind intersectionsmust be treated with special caution. Busdrivers should routinely “cover the brake”when approaching an intersection to reducereaction time in case another motorist on theintersecting roadway runs a red light or stopsign.

School bus drivers are responsible for accom-modating for view obstructions on their buses,such as mirrors, mirror brackets, structuralposts and pillars, and door jams. “Rockingbefore rolling” into an intersection to “look


around” view obstructions on the bus is consid-ered safe practice throughout the school busindustry. Failing to see an approaching vehiclein an intersection due to a view obstruction onthe bus is an indication of a preventableaccident on the bus driver’s part.

School bus drivers are also responsible forlistening for sirens and horns indicating theapproach of an emergency vehicle. Studentsshould not be allowed to be so noisy that thedriver can’t hear sirens or horns. In situationswhere the importance of hearing is even morepronounced, such as at blind intersections inurban settings, where emergency vehicles arenot rare, the bus driver should make specialefforts to silence the students, and should openthe driver window to hear better. Failure totake such actions should result in a finding ofpreventability against the bus driver.

PTSI 2005-28: LANE ENCROACHMENTACCIDENTS

Lane change accidents are preventable. Aschool bus driver is responsible for being awareof the presence of other vehicles traveling nextto the bus. A school bus driver is responsiblefor using a combination of driving mirrors anddirect observation to discern vehicles. Aschool bus driver should drop back to avoidtraveling in the blind spot of another vehicleand to avoid an accident resulting from anothervehicle suddenly changing lanes into the path ofthe bus. It is the school bus driver’s responsi-bility to merge safely into traffic as well as toavoid other vehicles entering the driving lane inan unsafe fashion. When being passed byanother vehicle, the bus driver should also beprepared to drop back to allow the vehicle tosafely re-enter the lane. School buses shouldnot routinely pass other vehicles. An accidentresulting from a passing maneuver by theschool bus driver should be regarded aspreventable on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-29: MECHANICAL FAILURE

Accidents attributable, or partly attributable, tomechanical failure of the bus or a bus compo-nent, may not may not be preventable on thebus driver’s part. A careful investigation willbe required to determine which.

If the bus driver failed to conduct an adequatepre-trip inspection, which would have revealedan existing mechanical problem, the accidentshould be regarded as preventable on the busdriver’s part.

If a mechanical problem developed during thebus route, and the bus driver did not stop thebus at the first safe location, a subsequentaccident should be regarded as preventable onthe bus driver’s part.

However, if the mechanical failure resulting inan accident was sudden and could not reasona-bly have been foreseen by the bus driver, thenthe accident should not be considered prevent-able on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-30: NIGHT ACCIDENTS

Darkness is not a justification for an accident.School bus drivers should be expected to adjustspeed downwards in dark or low-lightconditions.

PTSI 2005-31: OBJECT PIERCING BUS

School bus drivers are responsible for recogniz-ing potential hazards in the path of the bus,including objects protruding from othervehicles, construction vehicles and equipmentnear the roadway, overhanging signs and treelimbs, etc. An accident resulting from failing torecognize a protruding object in the path of thebus should be regarded as preventable on thebus driver’s part.

However, if an object is suddenly andunexpectedly expelled by another vehicle on theroadway and strikes and subsequently enters


the bus (for instance, chunk of ice slides offroof of other vehicle, wheel comes off anothervehicle, pipes or lumber or stones being carriedby other vehicle come loose, etc.), the accidentis non-preventable on the bus driver’s part, solong as the bus driver was allowing adequatefollowing distance to the vehicle in question.

PTSI 2005-32: OFF-ROAD ACCIDENTS

Bus drivers are responsible for maintainingcontrol of the bus, even when evading a hazard.Accidents in which the bus driver swerved toavoid a hazard but then lost control of the busand went off-road should be consideredpreventable accidents.

Incidents in which the bus leaves the roadwaydue to momentary bus driver inattention orbecause the bus driver drove onto the shoulderto pass a vehicle stopped in the driving lane arepreventable. “Layover” and rollover incidentsresulting from the passenger-side tires of thebus becoming trapped in the soft shoulder,resulting in the bus dropping into a roadsideditch, are preventable.

However, accidents in which the bus driverdeliberately drove off the road to avoid a morecatastrophic collision, such as a head-on colli-sion, are not preventable accidents on the busdrivers’ parts. A careful investigation will beneeded to determine exactly what the busdriver did, and why.

PTSI 2005-33: OFFROUTE/UNAUTHORIZED ROUTECHANGE

Accidents occurring when the bus driver hadtraveled off route without authorization arepreventable on the bus driver’s part, regardlessof other factors.

An accident occurring at a bus stop that hadbeen changed without authorization by the bus

driver should also be regarded as preventableon the bus driver’s part.

However, an accident involving a substitutedriver who was not provided with accurate andup-to-date route information is not preventableon the substitute driver’s part, although othertypes of organizational preventability mayapply.

PTSI 2005-34: PARKED VEHICLES

It is the bus driver’s responsibility to avoidstriking a parked vehicle, whether legally orillegally parked. If lateral clearance betweenparked vehicles is questionable, the bus drivershould not attempt it. Striking a parked vehicleis a preventable accident, including striking themirror of a parked vehicle, or striking theparked vehicle with the bus mirror.

Striking the vehicle door that has suddenlybeen opened by an occupant as the bus is aboutto pass should be regarded as preventable onthe bus driver’s part. It is the bus driver’sresponsibility to be aware of potential hazards,including occupied vehicles near the roadway.

PTSI 2005-35: PASSING AND BEINGPASSED

Failure to pass another vehicle safely is apreventable action on the bus driver’s part.Passing is a voluntary action, and regardless ofthe unsafe actions of other parties, a bus driverwho chooses to pass is accepting full responsi-bility for the outcome.

School bus drivers are responsible for yieldingto passing vehicles, slowing down when neces-sary, to avoid an accident. Sideswipes to thebus from a passing vehicle may be preventableon the bus driver’s part. A careful investigationis necessary to determine whether or not thebus driver tried to avoid the accident.


PTSI 2005-36: PEDESTRIANS

It is the bus driver’s responsibility to avoidstriking a pedestrian. Being aware of potentialhazards in or near the travel path of the bus,including people, is fundamental to defensivedriving. Adjusting speed downward becausethere are pedestrians in the vicinity is an indica-tor of a professional driver, as is giving “wideberth” to pedestrians in or next to the roadway.

High-risk pedestrians should be approachedand passed with even greater caution - the busdriver should be prepared to stop. Children,the elderly, the physically disabled, joggers, orindividuals appearing agitated or impaired,should be passed with the highest degree ofcaution. School bus drivers should be expectedto drive very slowly and cautiously in schoolzones and in bus loading areas on school sites.On school sites, the bus driver should not movethe bus until all students have been movedsafely away from the roadway. If students areacting in a disorderly fashion in or near the busloading area, the bus driver should not movethe bus. Striking a student pedestrian on aschool site is a preventable accident on the busdriver’s part.

Striking a pedestrian standing at a corner whilethe bus is making a right turn, due to the rearwheels of the bus “tracking” over the curb andover the pedestrian, is a preventable accidenton the bus driver’s part.

However, not all pedestrian accidents arepreventable by the bus driver. A thoroughaccident investigation will be necessary todetermine whether a professional, highly alertbus driver could have reasonably avoided strik-ing the pedestrian. It is not reasonable toexpect bus drivers to see individuals runningunexpectedly from well off the roadway andwell out of the driver’s field of vision, into theside of the bus. Such incidents should beregarded as non-preventable on the bus driver’spart.

PTSI 2005-37: PRIOR DAMAGE

School bus drivers are responsible for noting“prior damage” during the pre-trip inspectionof the bus. A claim that damage to the bus wasthe result of an earlier accident by anotherdriver cannot be supported if the bus driver hadnot noted it on the pre-trip inspection report.

PTSI 2005-38: RAILROAD CROSSINGS

It is the school bus driver’s responsibility tostop and check for approaching trains at allrailroad tracks, to make sure no train isapproaching before proceeding, and to stop farenough from the tracks after crossing to makesure the rear of the bus is not exposed todanger. A school bus struck by a train, or aschool bus running into a train already at thecrossing, is a preventable accident on the busdriver’s part.

A school bus struck by a crossing gate whilestopped to check for trains is not a preventableaccident on the bus driver’s part. Crossinggates are designed to break and a bus stoppedsafely back from the tracks is not in dangerfrom the train even if the crossing gate hascome down on top of it.

PTSI 2005-39: READING ROUTESHEET OR NOTE WHILE DRIVING

Accidents resulting wholly or in part from thebus driver reading the route sheet or a noteabout the route while driving the bus, or whileengaged in loading or unloading students at abus stop, are preventable on the bus driver’spart. This criteria applies to substitute and fieldtrip bus drivers, as well as regular route drivers.

PTSI 2005-40: RADIO AND CELLPHONE USE

Accidents resulting wholly or in part from thebus driver being distracted while talking on the


two-way radio (or cell phone, if that’s what thetransporter utilizes for two-way communicationbetween base and buses) are preventable on thebus driver’s part. It is the bus driver’s respon-sibility to avoid talking to base at higher-riskmoments when attention must be focused onthe driving tasks outside the bus.

An accident attributable to the bus driver’s useof a cell phone for personal business ispreventable.

PTSI 2005-41: ROAD RAGE INCIDENTS

It is the school bus driver’s responsibility toattempt to defuse potential road rage incidents.Motorists who appear agitated or angry atbeing “delayed” by the bus should be allowedto pass whenever it is safe to do. Provokingother motorists unnecessarily by angry gesturesor shouting should be avoided; an accident orincident resulting from such provocation maybe regarded as preventable on the bus driver’spart.

However, any act of road rage against a bus ora bus driver should be dealt with by the fullforce of the law.

Bus driver rage at motorists failing to stop forthe stopped bus should not result in furtherunsafe actions, such as the bus driver trying tocatch up with the perpetrator. Accidentsresulting from poor bus driver judgment arepreventable on the bus driver’s part, regardlessof other factors.

PTSI 2005-42: SCHOOL SITEACCIDENTS

Striking a student on school grounds is apreventable accident on the bus driver’s part.

Backing into another vehicle, a fixed object, ora pedestrian on school grounds is preventableon the bus driver’s part, even if the othervehicle was illegally parked or the pedestrian

was violating safety rules). If an attendant ispresent on the bus, it is also the attendant’sresponsibility to assist the driver when backingby “spotting” from inside the bus. A backingaccident in which the attendant did not spot forthe driver is preventable on both the busdriver’s and the attendant’s part.

Striking a parked vehicle on school grounds,including another parked bus, or an illegallyparked vehicle, is a preventable accident on thebus driver’s part.

Leaving a bus improperly secured on schoolgrounds, so it rolls into a fixed object oranother vehicle, is a preventable accident on thebus driver’s part. This criterion applies duringbus drills as well as other circumstances.

PTSI 2005-43: SLIPPERY ROADCONDITIONS

Slippery road conditions are not a justificationfor an accident. It is the bus driver’s responsi-bility to adjust speed and vehicle maneuversappropriately for adverse road and weatherconditions. If a roadway is too slippery tonegotiate safely, the bus driver should avoid theroad altogether when possible, notifying baseby radio of the necessity for a detour, or if analternate route is not available, should stop thebus in the first safe location until the road canbe salted, sanded, or weather conditionschange.

PTSI 2005-44: STUDENT BUMPS HEAD

An injury to a student resulting from bumpinghis or head against the bus wall or windowframe may or may not be considered prevent-able on the bus driver’s part, depending oncircumstances. A careful investigation will berequired.

If the bus driver cornered with excessive speed,or failed to slow down adequately for apothole, bump in the road, or speed bump, the


student injury may be regarded as a preventableaccident on the bus driver’s part.

If the student’s head was bumped in the normaloperation of the bus, or due to being pushed orshoved by another student, the accident is notpreventable on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-45: STUDENT FAILURE TOWEAR SAFETY BELT

If the bus is equipped with safety belts (lap, orlap-shoulder) and the school district policy orstate law requires their use by students, and astudent is injured in a crash or non-collisionevent due or partly due to failure to use thesafety belt, the injury should not be consideredpreventable on the bus driver’s part if the driverhad made a reasonable effort to enforce studentsafety belt use by informing and remindingthem of the policy. It is not realistic to expecta bus driver to know for certain if all studentsare actually buckling up as required. An inves-tigation will be necessary to determine if thebus driver made a reasonable effort to informstudents about the belt use policy.

A similar standard applies for attendants. If aninvestigation concludes that the attendant madea reasonable effort to enforce safety belt use byteaching students about the policy and monitor-ing them for compliance, an injury to a studentwho failed to use a belt should not be consid-ered preventable on the attendant’s part. It isnot realistic to expect an attendant to be able toknow for certain if every student on the bus isbuckled up at any particular point. However, ifthe investigation reveals that the attendantfailed to make a concerted effort to enforcesafety belt use, a student injury for failure touse a belt may be considered preventable on theattendant’s part.

PTSI 2005-46: STUDENT FIGHT ONBUS

In most cases, student fights resulting ininjuries are not attributable to the bus driver orattendant, and should not be regarded aspreventable incidents on their part. Fightsbetween students cannot always be anticipated,defused, or even controlled without assistance.

However, a bus driver or attendant who isaware that a serious fight is taking place on thebus and who does not take reasonablemeasures to intervene (i.e., warn the students,stop the bus, call base by radio for assistance,etc.) may be considered to have contributed toany injury that results. Such occasions shouldbe regarded as preventable incidents on the busdriver’s or attendant’s part, or both party’s.Before arriving at a conclusion, a careful inves-tigation will be necessary to determine all thecircumstances surrounding such an incident.

PTSI 2005-47: STUDENT HAND, FOOT,OR HEAD OUTSIDE BUS

School bus drivers are responsible for ensuringthat students do not stick any part of theirbodies outside the bus. If an attendant ispresent this should be regarded as a jointresponsibility. Students should not be allowedto stick their hands or arms out the bus windoweven if the bus is not yet moving.

An injury arising to a student whose hand, arm,foot, leg, or head was stuck out the windowand struck by a fixed object as the bus passed,is a preventable accident on the bus driver’s(and attendant’s, if present) part.

PTSI 2005-48: STUDENT INJURY DUETO IMPROPER SEATING

Onboard student injuries, whether resultingfrom a collision or other vehicle maneuver, may


or may not be preventable depending oncircumstances.

Failing to make a concerted effort to requirestudents to stay properly seated is an indicationthat the accident was preventable on the busdriver’s part. (If an attendant was present onthe bus, the injury should also be consideredpreventable on the attendant’s part.)

Abrupt stops, turns, and acceleration that resultin a student falling from the bus seat in beinginjured should be regarded as preventable onthe bus driver’s part, unless sudden evasiveaction to prevent a collision was unavoidable.A careful investigation will be required todetermine if alert defensive driving prior wouldhave eliminated the need for the sudden evasivemaneuver.

School bus drivers (and attendants, if present)are responsible for keeping students in theirseats until the bus has come to a full stop atschool in the morning, or at their bus stops inthe afternoon. Allowing students to stand inthe aisle as the bus approaches a stop is danger-ous. An injury resulting from a student out ofthe seat as the bus approaches a stop should beregarded as preventable on the bus driver’s(and attendant’s, if present) part.

Similarly, students should be allowed to getinto their seats before the bus driver resumesforward motion after loading at a bus stop inthe morning or at school at afternoon dismissal.An injury resulting from a student falling in theaisle before being seated is a preventableincident on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-49: STUDENT JUMP FROMBUS

School bus drivers are responsible for ensuringreasonably safe behavior of students on the busride. Students should not be allowed to playwith emergency exits at any time. Studentswho do so should be reported. An agitated

student near an emergency exit, or severalstudents picking on one student, is an indica-tion to stop the bus in a safe location at once.An injury arising from a student jumping out anemergency exit while the bus is moving may ormay not be preventable depending on circum-stances. If the bus driver had prior warningthat the student was playing with or consider-ing going out the emergency exit, an injuryshould be considered a preventable accident.

However, if the student’s action was suddenand unforeseeable, the bus driver could nothave prevented it. A thorough investigation isnecessary to determine the circumstancesinvolved.

If an attendant is present on the bus, it is theattendant’s responsibility, as well as thedriver’s, to enforce safe student behavior,including keeping students from playing with orgoing out emergency exits. At a minimum, abus attendant should warn the driver to stopthe bus if a student is threatening to go out anemergency exit. If a student jumps out anemergency exit while the bus is moving whenan attendant is on the board the bus, theaccident should be regarded as preventable onthe attendant’s part. An investigation will benecessary to determine if the bus driver hadbeen made aware of the danger beforehand butfailed to stop the bus or assist the attendant.

PTSI 2005-50: STUDENT LEFT ON BUS

School bus drivers are responsible for checkingthe bus after every route to make sure allstudents have disembarked. If an attendant ispresent on the bus, this should be regarded as ajoint responsibility. An injury (physical oremotional) to a student left on a bus should beregarded as a preventable incident on both thebus driver’s and attendant’s part.


PTSI 2005-51: STUDENTLOADING/UNLOADING

School bus drivers are responsible for carefullyfollowing all loading and unloading safetyprocedures. Students are most at risk to deathor serious injury when getting on or off theirbuses. The following challenges are inherent tothe loading and unloading of students:

1. Distractions caused by children, such asbehavior problems, on board the bus.

2. Impulsive and unpredictable actions ofchildren around the outside of the bus.

3. The failure of another motorist to stopwhen a child is getting on or off the bus.

Because the above hazardous conditions aboveare predictable, and because professionalschool bus drivers are specifically trained toanticipate and compensate for each of thesehazards, a school bus accident caused by theabove factors must be judged as preventable onthe bus driver’s part.

School bus drivers should be held accountablefor anticipating and compensating for each ofthe above situations, all of which are predict-able.

School bus drivers are responsible for using allloading and unloading safety equipmentproperly (i.e., school bus flashers, stop arm,crossing gate if so equipped, etc.).

School bus drivers are responsible to check formotorists approaching the stopped bus whomay not stop for a student getting on or off.Failure to check for motorists is an indicator ofa preventable accident on the bus driver’s partif a student is struck. If an attendant is presentto escort students on and off the bus and acrossthe street, it is also the attendant’s responsibil-ity to check for traffic before entering anunprotected area of the roadway. If an atten-dant is present, an injury from a passingmotorist to a student or to the attendant must

be regarded as preventable on the attendant’spart.

School bus drivers are responsible for making aconcerted effort to teach students how to safelyboard and exit the bus. Students who refuse tofollow boarding or exiting procedures shouldbe reported to the school. If a student isinjured while getting on or off the bus, a findingthat the bus driver did not make a reasonableeffort to make the student follow safety proce-dures makes it a preventable incident on thebus driver’s part.

School bus drivers are responsible for knowingall students are safely out of the danger zonesaround and under the bus before resumingforward motion at a bus stop. This task isaccomplished by a combination of countingstudents as they disembark, making a carefulvisual check through direct observation, andmaking a careful check of the pedestrian mirrorsystem on the bus. Failure to adjust the mirrorsproperly is a clear indication of bus driverpreventability. A student struck by his or herown bus is a preventable accident on the busdriver’s part, even if impulsive or unsafestudent behavior also contributed to theaccident.

School bus drivers are responsible for securingthe bus while loading or unloading students.An injury resulting from a bus rolling into astudent or vehicle is preventable on the busdriver’s part.

School bus drivers are responsible for checkingfor a late student running after the bus just as itpulls away from the bus stop. Failure to makea careful visual check of the surrounding area ifa student is missing at the stop, and failure toleave the stop at slow speed to allow a quickstop if the student suddenly appears, are indica-tions of preventability on the bus driver’s part ifa student is struck by the bus as it pulls awayfrom the stop.


School bus drivers are responsible for recogniz-ing and addressing high-risk situations involv-ing students getting on or off a bus, such as:

§ Student wearing clothes or backpack withlong dangling drawstring or strap that couldbe snagged in the bus as the studentdisembarks.

§ Student carrying loose item that could bedropped near or under the bus.

§ Student whose volatile behavior makes itunlikely he or she will follow loading andunloading safety procedures.

If a student exhibiting high-risk behavior whilegetting on or off the bus is injured, the incidentshould be regarded as preventable on the busdriver’s part.

PTSI 2005-52: STUDENT SLIPS, TRIPS,AND FALLS

Student injuries attributable to a slip and fall onthe bus steps may or may not be preventable onthe bus driver’s part. A careful investigationwill be required.

If the bus driver did not make a reasonableeffort to enforce orderly behavior as studentsboard or exit, did not require students to holdthe handrail, or did not keep steps clear ofsnow and ice, an injury should be regarded aspreventable on the bus driver’s part.

Similarly, an injury attributable to a trip and fallin the bus aisle may or may not be preventableon the bus driver’s part. If students wereallowed to stand in the aisle or move from seatto seat while the bus is in motion, a trippinginjury should be considered preventable on thebus driver’s part.

If an attendant is present, it is also the atten-dant’s responsibility to enforce safe studentbehavior, and a student injury due to a trip orfall may be preventable on the attendant’s part,depending on circumstances.

Not all trip or fall incidents are preventable. Ifa student tripped and fell in spite of concertedefforts on the bus driver’s or attendant’s part toenforce safe student behavior, the incidentshould not be considered preventable. Aninvestigation will be necessary to determine theextent of the driver’s and attendant’s efforts toenforce safe student behavior to avoid a fall.

PTSI 2005-53: SUBSTITUTE DRIVERS

Substitute drivers should be held to the samesafety standards as regular route drivers.Because being a substitute is so challenging,substitutes should maintain a prudent speed,never trying to “make up time” on a route, andshould follow all safety procedures meticu-lously.

If an accident results from reading a route sheetwhile driving the bus, or while loading orunloading students, the accident is preventableon the substitute bus driver’s part.

Accidents resulting solely from a substitutedriver being provided with inaccurate orout-of-date route or bus stop informationshould not be held against the substitute. Aconsideration of organizational preventability(i.e., unauthorized changes by the regular routedriver, failure of the regular route driver toupdate the route sheet, and the lack of a systemfor maintaining accurate route sheets) may bein order in such instances.

Substitute drivers are responsible for becomingfamiliar enough with the bus they are assignedto drive safely and operate safety equipmentproperly. Accidents in which the bus driverbecame confused about vehicle controls,turning radius, braking, or other handlingcharacteristics because he/she was driving anunfamiliar (spare, or new) bus are preventable.It is the bus driver’s responsibility tothoroughly check out unfamiliar buses beforeleaving the yard.


PTSI 2005-54: TALKING TO PASSEN-GER WHILE DRIVING

Conversation between bus driver and passen-gers (students, attendant, coach, chaperone, etal) can cause an accident. Conversation cannotbe allowed to become a distraction while thebus is moving or while students are getting onor off. The internal overhead mirror over thebus driver’s head should not be used for carry-ing on a protracted conversation with a passen-ger. An accident attributable to unnecessaryconversation on the bus driver’s part ispreventable.

PTSI 2005-55: TIME PRESSURE ONROUTE

If route times are unrealistic, it is the responsi-bility of the school bus driver to report theproblem at once. School bus drivers areresponsible for keeping safety as the priority,and staying on schedule as secondary. Anaccident caused by a school bus driver who wasrushing and taking “safety short cuts” to stayon time on the route is preventable on the busdriver’s part.

PTSI 2005-56: TURNING

School bus drivers are responsible for makingsafe, smooth turns. “Tracking” of the rearwheels over a curb at a corner is dangerous; ifan injury or property damage result the incidentshould be regarded as preventable on the busdriver’s part.

Sudden or high speed turns that throw studentsfrom the seats, resulting in an injury, arepreventable incidents on the bus drivers’ parts.

School bus drivers are responsible for carefullychecking for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcy-clists, and other small vehicles at or nearcorners before beginning a turn.

Turning in front of an oncoming vehiclebecause its turn signal was activate is danger-ous. An accident resulting from such a circum-stance is preventable on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-57: UNSECURED BUS

A collision resulting from an unsecured bus(whether occupied or parked) rolling into afixed object, a vehicle, or a pedestrian, ispreventable on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-58: WATER IN ROAD

It is the bus driver’s responsibility to carefullyread the road ahead for standing water.Accidents resulting from the bus hydroplaningthrough standing water should be regarded aspreventable on the bus driver’s part. Schoolbus drivers should not attempt to drive throughflooded roadways. If the bus stalls or isflooded in such a situation, it is a preventableincident on the bus driver’s part.

PTSI 2005-59: WHEELCHAIR STUDENTINJURY

School bus drivers (and attendants, if present)are responsible for the safe securement ofwheelchairs and the students using them.

Failure to secure the wheelchair properly,resulting in a spill, are preventable incidents onthe bus driver’s (and attendant’s) part. Failureto use the wheelchair securement system asintended by the manufacturer - for instance,failure to utilize the lap-shoulder passenger belt- are indications of a preventable incident.

A wheelchair spill occurring mid-route is apreventable incident on the attendant’s part.When attendants are present on a bus trans-porting students using wheelchairs, they areresponsible for checking wheelchair securementand stability during the ride.


An injury resulting from a wheelchair tippingover on or falling off the wheelchair lift is apreventable injury. Both school bus driver andattendant (if present) should be held account-able for failing to hold onto the wheelchair atall times while on the lift.

A non-collision injury to a physically disabled,fragile student using a wheelchair secured inthe rear of the bus, caused by the bus goingover a bump, should be considered preventableon the bus driver’s part. School bus driverstransporting fragile children with special needsare responsible for “TLC” (“tender lovingcare”) driving at all times.

PTSI 2005-60: WIRE ON BUS

Avoiding low-hanging wires is the responsibil-ity of the school bus driver. Low-hangingwires are common after ice or wind storms andschool bus drivers must remain highly alertwhen driving in such situations. Incidents inwhich the bus strikes and becomes entangledwith a low-hanging wire are preventable on thebus driver’s part.

However, if the wire falls just as the bus ispassing under it, or falls onto a stopped bus(for instance, at an intersection, when anothervehicle strikes a utility pole), the incidentshould be judged non-preventable on the schoolbus driver’s part.

Because of the danger of electrocution, appro-priate response after a wire has come in contactwith the bus is the responsibility of the busdriver (and attendant, if present). Evacuatingthe bus in such a situation could be deadly andshould only be attempted in the most dire ofcircumstances, such as the bus being on fire.


PTSI Preventabilty Assessment Service · an accident for assessment. The fee is $150 per...

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Transcript of PTSI Preventabilty Assessment Service · an accident for assessment. The fee is $150 per...