Bus Full Of Kids, Driver On The Phone?

It Happens, Says Industry Group Calling For Limits On Cell Phone Use

(AP)  The school bus industry has a message for bus drivers: Put down your cell phones.

The American School Bus Council is issuing guidelines calling for a ban on drivers using cell phones when the bus is moving or when students are getting on or off.

The group's co-director, Pete Japikse, who also is the head of school transportation in Ohio, said the council will urge bus companies and school districts to enact the ban.

He said the research is clear that cell phones cause drivers to lose focus. "We don't want those distractions to be part of the school bus driver's environment," he said.

Japikse said the group also will urge state lawmakers to take action. There are at least a dozen states with laws or regulations prohibiting school bus drivers from talking on the phone.

The council includes public and private transportation providers, school bus manufacturers and state officials responsible for pupil transportation.

National PTA President Anna Weselak applauded the council's decision.

"There has been a lot of attention to anyone operating a motorized vehicle and talking on the cell phone," Weselak said. "Parents want their children to be safe at home and school and on their way to and from school."

The council's recommendation follows one from the National Transportation Safety Board, which said all bus drivers should be banned from using cell phones while driving.

The federal panel made that recommendation after blaming a driver's chat on a cell phone for a 2004 crash in Alexandria, Va. that injured 11 students.

About 25 million students in the United States ride the school bus each day, according to the American School Bus Council.

In 2005, 134 people were killed in accidents involving school buses, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Ten were drivers or passengers on the bus, while 30 were pedestrians. The majority of those killed were in other vehicles.

[ecuadoriana]

"There has been a lot of attention to anyone operating a motorized vehicle and talking on the cell phone," Weselak said. "Parents want their children to be safe at home and school and on their way to and from school."

That's a very interesting paragraph. First, it's ironic that Ms. Weselak said "There has been a lot of attention...", because the problem is exactly that there isn't enough attention being paid by people operating motorized vehicles!! People are operating bombs- flammable liquid encased in metal & plastic canisters, many of which contain navigational systems! People are operating deadly weapons, but they're more concerned if there's a good sound system than w/the way they drive.

Then Ms. Weselak mentions that parents want their kids to be safe. Uh, yeah, right. Those same parents who are up in arms over bus drivers talking on cells are themselves carting their kids around, gabbing on the cell while driving! The classic "Soccer Mom" tooling around Micky D's drive-thru gabbing on the phone, kids in the back indoctrinated into the Plug-In/Tune Out world w/ the built-in video console. "Corporate Ladder Dad" wheelin' n dealin' while juggling cell, lap top & coffee, laying on the horn at the crosswalk 'cause grampa is movin too slow w/ the walker.

Yeah, these are the parents who won't hesitate to justify their own inattention, while making rules for everyone else. Wake up & smell the coffee to go! Put the cell phone down & pay attention!

[sheila1346]

I personally feel that no one at any time should be on the phone while driving a moving vehicle period! I also believe that if a bus driver or any other for hire driver is caught on the phone they should be ticketed and if the problem persists they should loose their license. I have no tolerance for driving under the influence or doing anything that puts yourself or others at risk while operating a motor vehicle.

[anopinion1]

Cell phone use can be a problem to driving skill depending on the persons level of mental capicity and the nature of the conversation.

If its just a casual conversation nothing to involved it can be as distracting as a good song on the radio or whatnot. but some people are just plain dumb tho and cant concentrate whatsoever on 2 things.
for this reason!!!!!
Cell phones or any other ways of talking in the car over a phone should be all together banned while driving. I mean come on unplug from the world for 2 daammm minutes.

I know people that go everywhere with their cell phone talking and texting and i just wanna break the cell on their head and laugh at them.

[cathaleen]

I have to assume when someone's car is weaving in the afternoon, it means they are on the cell phone and if they are weaving in the evening they are drunk. Please tell me what is the difference.

[peach652]

Further to rray52's comment..... how many of those 10 students die because the bus driver is using a cell phone? I don't recall ever hearing of one case.

I agree drivers shouldn't use cell phones while driving. But, simply because it is the right thing to do. Their stats didn't convince me. The numbers they are sharing don't support their theory that bus drivers on cell phones are causing accidents.

[rray52]

School bus drivers should not be distracted operating the bus. But the numbers are interesting.
25 million students ride the bus daily. Two trips a day, to school and return. That is 50 million student/trips a day. With a average of 200 school days a year, that%u2019s 10 billion student/ trips per year. 10 students a year die in school bus accidents. It looks like the safest place to be on the road is riding in a school bus.