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Debusguy
Senior Member
USA
114 Posts |
 Posted - 01/07/2002 : 11:58:03 AM
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We have had a series of annoying, minor bus accidents since the beginning of this school year..anything from a backing-up accident in the bus lot, to taking a turn too short and crunching another vehicle's front fender. Has anyone run across a video, or come up with a training process or procedure that helps get drivers thinking safety first again? Something that would aim at correction, not punishment?
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2002 : 1:14:06 PM
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quote:
"... or come up with a training process or procedure that helps get drivers thinking safety first again? Something that would aim at correction, not punishment?"
What you might be looking for -- after moving beyond the politically-correct rubbish -- is a combination of reasonable discipline and corrective action. When the crash is clearly the bus driver's fault it makes sense -- short of termination -- to suspend that driver until a driving safety class has been retaken. You should only do this when you really-really want to get the message across that driving the bus safely is an important expectation. (jk)
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John Farr
Top Member
USA
642 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2002 : 1:19:58 PM
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In 1990-91 developed an accident review committee, complete with rules, accident definitions, penalties, etc. Here it is:
ACCIDENT REVIEW COMMITTEE
PROCEDURE FOR REVIEWING SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS
I. Purpose:
A. Accidents involving district vehicles will be carefully studied by the Committee and findings presented to school bus drivers in a way that all may benefit from the knowledge, and to avoid similar situations.
B. Objective, fair and consistent evaluation of Oceanside Unified School District vehicle accidents.
C. Determine "preventability" of accidents.
II. Vehicle Accident/Incident Definition
82.7 School Bus Accident.
The A.R.B. will only review accidents as defined below:
A. "School Bus Accidents: "Motor Vehicle accident resulting in property damage or personal injury, on public or private property, and involving a school bus with a pupil on board; a collision between a vehicle and any pupil or the bus driver while the pupil or driver is crossing the highway when the school bus flashing (cross-over) lamps are required to be operated pursuant to V.C. 22112; or injury of a pupil inside the bus as a result of acceleration deceleration, or other movement of the bus.
In addition, the A.R.B. will review non-school bus accidents involving school buses.
B. Accidents will be classified as follows:
1. Type I - under $500.00
2. Type II - $500.00 - $1,499
3. Type III - $1,500.00 and over
C. For the purposes of the A.R.B., an incident has occurred when contact is made between a vehicle and another object which does not result in visible, measurable damage or injury, or the property damage is unrelated to driving (e.g. vandalism). Incidents are not reviewed by the committee and have no impact on the accident procedure.
D. Cost estimates will be reviewed annually to determine if the dollar amount for accidents needs to be adjusted.
III. Operational Procedures for the Accident Review Board (A.R.B.)
A. The Accident Review Board (A.R.B.) will review all O.U.S.D. School Bus Accidents.
1. The A.R.B. will meet once each month if needed to rule on the preventability of an accident(s). The Driver/Instructors will schedule and coordinate the meetings.
2. The A.R.B. may choose to postpone the review of an accident if the A.R.B. determines that insufficient information is available to make a decision.
B. The A.R.B. will consist of four Drivers, two Driver/Instructors, our CHP school bus officer, and the Director of Transportation, who will serve as Chairperson. All are voting members except the chairperson, who will only vote in the case of a tie vote.
1. Two (2) voting members will be elected by drivers to sit on the A.R.B. for two years.
2. Two (2) voting members will be elected by drivers to sit on the A.R.B. for one year. After the first year of the A.R.B. the two positions will be elected by the drivers for two years.
3. Two (2) voting members (Driver Instructors) will be appointed for a two (2) year term.
4. Voting members must have a minimum of three (3) years without a preventable accident in a District vehicle as a regular driver.
5. Any voting member who receives a preventable accident will be displaced from the board and a new voting member will then be elected to serve the remainder of that term.
6. No voting member will be allowed to vote on his/her own accident.
7. All voting member positions will be filled as needed thereafter with employees meeting the established criteria. The election will be held in September to allow time for new members to receive training prior to January.
8. A Driver/Instructor will act as secretary and will record A.R.B. proceedings and findings as required.
IV. Accident Reporting
A. All accidents will be reported per established O.U.S.D. procedures.
V. Accident Reviewing Procedures
A. All proceedings are to be kept confidential to protect the individual's and A.R.B.'s integrity.
B. The A.R.B. will have all relevant documents made available to them (handbooks, manuals, accident reports, pic-tures, etc.).
C. The person involved in the accident will be interviewed in person by the A.R.B. and then will be excused for A.R.B. discussion.
D. Accidents will be heard with driver present.
E. Witnesses to the accident may be interviewed by the Review Board. The driver will be made aware in advance of any witness and the evidence obtained will be presented to the driver by the Director of Transportation prior to the A.R.B. Board voting.
F. The A.R.B. will discuss the accident, vote by ballot to determine preventability and make their recommendation.
G. Written appeal to the Director of Transportation may be made by the driver within thirty (30) calendar days only if new facts about this accident are discovered. The driver will have the option of presenting the new information to the Review Board. Based upon the facts presented, the Board will decide if another hearing is warranted. The driver will be notified within 5 days of the Board's decision.
H. A brief description of the accident (excluding any names) and the decision of the A.R.B. will be posted for training purposes.
VI. Guidelines to determine the preventability of accidents.
A. These guidelines are based on the concept of defensive driving practices to avoid accidents in spite of the actions of the other driver(s) and weather conditions.
B. The following concepts will be used:
1. Practically all Backing Accidents are the responsibility of the driver. Drivers are not relieved of responsibility to back safely when a guide is involved in the maneuver. A guide cannot control the movement of the bus; therefore, drivers must check all clearanc-es for themselves.
2. In the event of an abrupt or unexpected stop of the vehicle ahead, the driver can prevent Front End collisions by maintaining a safe following distance at all times. This includes being prepared for possible obstructions on the highway, either in plain view or hidden by the crest of a hill or the curve in a roadway.
3. Rear-End collisions preceded by a roll back, an abrupt stop when a traffic signal changes, or when a driver fails to signal a turn at an intersection should be determined preventable.
4. Failure to Pass another vehicle safely, possible failure to consider oncoming traffic, and the unusual action of the other driver passing are reasons for a preventable accident.
5. BEING PASSED: Sideswipe and cutoffs involving professional drivers being passed may be termed preventable if the driver being passed fails to yield to the passing vehicle by slowing down or moving to the right where possible.
6. OPPOSING VEHICLES: When involved in a head-on or sideswipe with another vehicle, it is extremely important to know the exact location of both vehicles prior to and at the point of impact. It may have been possi-ble for our driver to have avoided the accident by slowing down, stopping, or moving as far to the right as is reasonable.
7. Failure to signal for TURNS, to position your vehicle properly for the turn, to check rear view mirrors, to check pedestrian lanes, or to take any other defensive action should find the driver responsible for a preventable accident.
8. FIXED OBJECTS: Collisions with fixed objects are usually termed chargeable. New routes and similar situations are not valid reasons for finding a driver not responsible for a preventable accident. Accidents involving fixed objects usually involve failure to check or properly judge clearance.
9. BREAKDOWNS: If a driver fails to properly put out warning devices and is involved in an accident as a result, the driver of the broken-down vehicle is also responsible for a preventable accident.
10. If a MECHANICAL FAILURE that could have been detected by a driver while preforming the pre-trip inspection of the vehicle is the cause for the accident, the driver is responsibility to report unsafe vehicle conditions.
11. Accidents such as OVER-TURNS, or RUNNING OFF THE ROAD: Examination of driving procedures prior to the accident may reveal speed too fast for the conditions, improper braking action or lack of defensive driving practices.
12. ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS are not a valid reason for being involved in an accident. Rain, sleet, snow, fog, or icy pavement have never caused an accident. These conditions merely increase the hazards of driving to the weather conditions when necessary should be cause for determining whether an accident is preventable.
13. It is the responsibility of a professional driver to approach, enter and cross INTERSECTIONS prepared to avoid an accident. Professional drivers slow down prior to entering the intersection and are aware of the other drivers actions.
14. A professional driver must be aware of the STATE LAWS and SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES and PROCEDURES involving the operation of moving vehicles.
VII. Procedural Review
This procedure will be implemented as a standard program effective January 1, 1992. Periodic reviews will be held to refine the process as needed.
Revision Date: 12/5/91
District Procedures
The following regulations will be followed by the district. The A.R.B. only determines preventability of accidents. Disciplinary action, if any, is the responsibility of the district.
Corrective Action for "preventable" accidents occurring in a twelve (12) month period.
A. The Director of Transportation will notify and discuss the outcome of the accident with the driver within 5 working days.
B. A Driver/Instructor will review a preventable accident with the driver within 10 working days of the hearing and if necessary, schedule the appropriate training for the driver required by the district.
C. Accidents involving death and/or injury:
(In the event of litigation , the decision of preventability will be deferred until such time as the litigation is resolved.)
1. Accidents involving death. Management determines preventability with committee input.
2. Accidents involving injury.
(a) Treatable but not hospitalized follows the normal process. Committee determines preventability.
(b) It is a Type III accident if $1,500.00 & over (damage and treatment combined) or a Type II accident if $500.00 to $1,500 damage and treatment combined).
(c) All accidents involving hospitalization overnight for treatment are considered Type III. (Overnight hospitalization for observation is excluded.)
D. Type I accidents in which the repair/injury cost is less than $500.00 will be reviewed by the A.R.B. to determine preventability.
1. Should the employee disagree with the A.R.B.'s ruling, a review of the ruling by the A.R.B. must be requested within 5 days of receiving the ruling.
2. Two (2) Type I preventable accidents within a twelve (12) month period will equal one (1) Type II accident and become a part of the actions as listed in section VII E, below.
E. Preventable accidents $500.00 and over will result in the following actions:
1. First occurrence: written notice of a preventable accident and retraining in the problem area (s).
2. Second occurrence:
TERMINATION IF: This accident is a Type III accident and the previous accident was a Type III accident.
WRITTEN NOTICE IF: This accident is a Type III accident and the previous accident was a Type II accident. Training given in the problem area(s).
3. Third occurrence: Termination
Note: Any disciplinary action by the district will be in compliance with the C.S.E.A. Contract.
F. Willful and wanton disregard for reporting accidents are acts of misconduct and, when discovered, will be cause for disciplinary action.
Over the years our procedure has evolved to something quick and effective, but we have not updated the above text to reflect these changes. We used to meet once a month because drivers on the committee were so difficult to get together. Now the instructors and delegated driver trainers meet a day or two after any accident to determine whether or not it was preventabile. If preventable, they determine the skills needed to prevent such accidents in the future. Mandatory training, with pay, is conducted the following day. Drivers sign that they feel they successfully completed the training and this document is included in their training file.
The accident review committee does not recommend discipline, but the above procedures dictate where management must step in and issue disciplinary action (accident frequency or severity).
This sort of follow-up has reduced our accident experience considerably. It also helps that we have almost zero driver turnover in recent years.
Edited by - john farr on 01/07/2002 1:21:31 PM |
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JK
Top Member
USA
7307 Posts |
Posted - 01/07/2002 : 10:17:32 PM
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John Farr persistently demonstrates that bus drivers are intelligent and capable. His leadership skills alone may be a major contributor to one reason turnover at Oceanside is nil to none. (jk)
Edited by - JK on 01/07/2002 10:19:07 PM |
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Debusguy
Senior Member
USA
114 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2002 : 09:22:05 AM
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I agree with JK..this is exactly the measured response that is fair and impartial..thanks very much, John! I may have experiment with the structure, somewhat. I have a driver roster that hovers just above 40 drivers, and we currently have only one safety trainer..also, in PA, we do not have a state police officer readily available. I am assuming that your department is much larger? I like the structure you created, however. A driver-boardmember's opinions (which are affected by peer pressure) are counter-balanced with more impartial opinions, and yet the driver-members have the empathy to add credibility to a decision. The guidelines that the committee are required to reference further streamline the process. Also, as you noted in the 'Snowdays' message, the result is not based on just one person's recommendation. Now, to come up with a training program that specifically deals with strengthening the skills needed to overcome the identified shortcomings. Thanks again, John.
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John Farr
Top Member
USA
642 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2002 : 1:05:49 PM
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10-4!
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newbeetlebugblue2000
Advanced Member
USA
271 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2002 : 09:32:04 AM
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quote:
We have had a series of annoying, minor bus accidents since the beginning of this school year..anything from a backing-up accident in the bus lot, to taking a turn too short and crunching another vehicle's front fender. Has anyone run across a video, or come up with a training process or procedure that helps get drivers thinking safety first again? Something that would aim at correction, not punishment?
If you subscribe to the School Bus Fleet Magazine, there is ad inside the magazine to where you can get a program, I believe a CD-Rom for the computer teaches skills in school bus driving.
Ryan Lane
NewBeetleBugBlue2000@yahoo.com
www.plain.lib.oh.us/PCPLPizzaPirates.htm |
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busizmibiz
New Member
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 01/11/2002 : 11:24:24 AM
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Thank you for posting your policy John. We have an Accident Review Board similiar to yours but we have been debating what type and how many accidents require termination, retraining, etc. Your policy is very interesting and seems fair.
Thanks, Judy
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BusMeETC
Active Member
12 Posts |
Posted - 01/14/2002 : 6:32:49 PM
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A good way to figure out what's going wrong is to figure out what is going on! Layout your accidents over the past year...put them in categories...ie. "Backing Up" - "Turning Too Sharp" - "Mailboxes" - By doing this, you may see a pattern that is fixable with a little focused training. A few years ago, I was involved with a district that had a series of minor accidents, and found that every one happened in a transit style bus. We did a little retraining and beefed up our transit training for new hires and the problem disappeared! Good luck and safe driving!
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Drillsgt
New Member
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2002 : 2:02:25 PM
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quote:
We have had a series of annoying, minor bus accidents since the beginning of this school year..anything from a backing-up accident in the bus lot, to taking a turn too short and crunching another vehicle's front fender. Has anyone run across a video, or come up with a training process or procedure that helps get drivers thinking safety first again? Something that would aim at correction, not punishment?
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Drillsgt
New Member
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2002 : 2:02:33 PM
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quote:
We have had a series of annoying, minor bus accidents since the beginning of this school year..anything from a backing-up accident in the bus lot, to taking a turn too short and crunching another vehicle's front fender. Has anyone run across a video, or come up with a training process or procedure that helps get drivers thinking safety first again? Something that would aim at correction, not punishment?
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Drillsgt
New Member
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2002 : 2:02:47 PM
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quote:
We have had a series of annoying, minor bus accidents since the beginning of this school year..anything from a backing-up accident in the bus lot, to taking a turn too short and crunching another vehicle's front fender. Has anyone run across a video, or come up with a training process or procedure that helps get drivers thinking safety first again? Something that would aim at correction, not punishment?
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Drillsgt
New Member
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2002 : 2:04:25 PM
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quote:
We have had a series of annoying, minor bus accidents since the beginning of this school year..anything from a backing-up accident in the bus lot, to taking a turn too short and crunching another vehicle's front fender. Has anyone run across a video, or come up with a training process or procedure that helps get drivers thinking safety first again? Something that would aim at correction, not punishment?
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B. Busguy33
Top Member
USA
3444 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2002 : 6:56:20 PM
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Hi Drillsgt,
You have come to the right place with your concern!
If I were in charge of your district, I would first take the drivers who have been involved in those "minor" accidents and retrain them immediately.
After that, I would examine the current training program and determine if there need to be any changes made to it. I would make those changes and inform the drivers of the new changes and train them accordingly.
Finally, make sure that you have a "refresher" re-training program. This can be quite effective. Some districts have one of these programs during the summer months, or you could even schedule it for the middle of the school year. On these occasions, you can re-train the drivers on the most important safety skills. Annual safety meetings would probably be beneficial as well.
Hope this helps.
__________________________________________
-Bob
(a.k.a. B. Busguy33)
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Safety meeting materials
