Protecting our Children on and off the School Bus
TECHNOLOGY ADDED TO NOVA SCOTIA SCHOOL BUSES-2021
Check this out!! More safety technology is being added to keep you and your children safe!
Together with the contract announced June 2, 2021, Gatekeeper's systems will be installed on approximately 360 school buses in the Halifax Regional Center for Education, which is the largest school system in Atlantic Canada, serving 52,000 students in 135 schools.
Gatekeeper's Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) business model is centered around its intelligent video recording devices that record, store, and wirelessly transmit video and audio from multiple devices. These digital video recorders also serve as the "black box" to aid in accident investigations. Customers can customize their configurations by choosing from the Company's comprehensive product suite which includes:
Video Analytics Software - records time, location, audio, and video, enabling quick and easy assembly of video evidence needed to deal with school bus problems such as bullying, grazing, vaping, or verbal abuse.
Stop Arm Camera - records license plate information day or night, of vehicles that illegally pass a school bus when the stop arm is deployed. Gatekeeper's optional proprietary software also automates the ticketing process of stop-arm infractions.
360 Camera - provides the driver with 360 real-time imaging, automatically activated at pre-programmed bus speeds. The 360 view is displayed within the vehicle's specialized rear-view mirror system allowing drivers to monitor school children all around the bus.
Interior Camera - records the video and audio activity on the bus interior using adjustable vandal-resistant cameras.
Tactical Ready Kit - a portable unit that allows law enforcement personnel to obtain quick and easy display of the internal video and audio of a school bus in close proximity, even while in motion.
Read more at:
https://www.gatekeeper-systems.com/news/gatekeeper-equips-more-school-buses-in-nova-scotia/
Outside the School Bus
Promoting safety when children are off the school bus (crossing the street to the bus) involves:
Instructing children on how to cross the street to and from the school bus
Educating the public about the dangers of passing a school bus illegally, especially Red Light Violations.
Ensuring adequate police enforcement on the streets
Issuing tickets of over $400 to first time offenders
Orientation Day
The Nova Scotia School Board Association have mandated an “Orientation Day” each year for young children about to start Grade Primary where children get to take a short trip on a school bus with their parents. This activity helps by:
Calming any fears the children might have about riding on a bus;
Answering questions that parents have about bus design and bus stops in their area;
Giving bus drivers a direct chance to teach students proper school bus behaviour.
School Bus Design
A school bus is designed primarily for children. There are close to 40 federal standards for the design of school buses. These standards cover safety features such as the following:
Burn resistance for materials used inside the school bus
A frame to help the school bus remain intact in a rollover crash
A protective cage for the fuel tank to reduce the possibility of fuel leaks
Seats are high off the ground to reduce of injury in a side impact collision
The bus is painted yellow and has reflective tape to attract attention
School Bus Driver Requirements
In Nova Scotia, school bus drivers must:
Have a class 1 or 2 license with a B or C endorsement;
Pass their medical and eye exams;
Complete training requirements of their school board;
Make sure the school bus is in excellent mechanical shape;
Perform a daily pre-trip inspection of the bus and report any safety defects;
Perform a safety inspection twice a year;
Maintain order on the school bus to minimize distractions.
Seat Belts on School Buses
Seat belts are not provided on the school buses; however the school bus seats are designed to provide optimal safety for students without these restraints, a form of protection is called "compartmentalization." School bus seats have high backs spaced closely together with soft padding so that children are kept between seats in the event of an accident.
Built-In Child Car Seats
Transport Canada testing has indicated that child car seats may improve safety for preschool aged children under 18kg (40 pounds), when travelling on a school bus. School boards in Nova Scotia order built-in child car seats when they order new buses. Depending on the type of school bus, there are up to eight built-in child car seats per bus.