4 Essential Tips for School Bus Safety in Winter Weather
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Summer has turned to fall, and winter is on the horizon. With winter weather comes dangerous driving conditions. Ice and freezing rain, snow-covered roads, snowstorms, and limited visibility change the dynamics of driving.
Though a school bus is one of the safest forms of transportation, the hazards of operating a vehicle increase when driving in unpredictable and dangerous conditions. One of the most important skills a bus driver can have for winter school bus safety is the ability to adapt and to respond to road and weather conditions. Bad driving conditions are not always predictable, but they can be anticipated and planned for.
Watch the Weather
The best tip for winter school bus safety in the snow is for drivers to adjust to the conditions. Though driving in bad conditions should be avoided, winter weather can be unpredictable. Conditions can quickly change, so it is important to have safety measures in place should driving conditions change while buses are on the road.
Following are some of the hazardous conditions that can happen in the winter:
- Snowy conditions can range from flurries to blizzards. Along with difficult-to-maneuver roads, heavy snow can create visibility problems.
- After heavy snow, snowbanks alongside the road can make it difficult to turn and limit visibility around corners. High snowbanks that look passable could conceal objects or have turned to solid ice.
- Roads may flood after a heavy rain or as snow melts. When the ground is saturated flooding can occur without heavy rain.
- Water from rain or melted snow can freeze on a road after a quick temperature drop. Bridges tend to freeze first.
- Strong winds are likely in blizzards and as cold fronts pass. The side of the bus can catch the wind like the sail on a sailboat. Strong winds can blow debris into the roadway or directly into a bus.
School administrators and transportation directors should provide bus drivers with advance notice of possible severe weather. When there is any potential for driving conditions to turn poor, drivers should begin their route early. This could include starting routes a few minutes early in the morning and schools could dismiss students a few minutes early in the afternoon.
As much as possible, drivers should avoid roads that are not plowed or treated. Transportation managers should provide drivers with alternate routes in case the regular routes become unsafe.
Bad weather can interfere with the timing of routes. Transportation officials and school administrators should communicate with families to help them plan accordingly and know when to expect their child to be picked up or dropped off.
Inspect
Bus safety begins before the wheels go ‘round. In the winter months bus drivers should give themselves extra time to prepare for school bus safety in the snow. This begins with giving the bus ample time to warm up before being driven.
A proper inspection should take place before every trip. Some items to pay extra attention to in the winter months include:
- Check that heaters, defrosters and fans are working.
- Test windshield wipers.
- Check window washer fluid levels.
- Make sure all exterior lights are working.
In the winter months, particular attention should be paid to visibility. It is crucial to make sure that all snow and ice are completely cleared away from the windows, mirrors and lights. Drivers should verify that the wipers are not frozen to the windshield and that the wiper blades are in good condition. Some additional tips are:
- All buses should be equipped with a windshield scraper.
- Windows can be treated with chemicals to keep them from fogging or icing up.
- Drivers should be reminded to use additional fans to assist with defrosting.
- All buses should be equipped with a first aid kit and emergency supplies.
Encourage bus drivers to prepare for any unexpected delays or breakdowns. Help drivers stock their bus with essential winter safety items such as extra blankets, flashlights, batteries, non-perishable snacks, water bottles, and other emergency winter weather supplies. These items could be collected from donations.
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Review Safe Driving Techniques
School bus drivers must be reminded to drive with caution in winter weather. Sudden starts, stops, and steering changes can cause a loss of control of the bus — slick surfaces exaggerate any movement.
To prepare drivers for winter school bus safety, schools and transportation departments can use videos and roundtable discussions to reinforce safe driving techniques. Experienced drivers can share tips for driving in winter weather with less experienced drivers.
The first priority of safe winter driving is to remain alert. A driver must continuously assess the environment for dangerous situations. When driving in bad weather and/or poor road conditions, drivers must heighten their awareness of their speed, starts and stops, and their space in relation to other vehicles.
The Six S(es) of School Bus Safety
Following are essential tips for safe winter driving.
One of the most important parts of winter school bus safety is for drivers to always maintain a cushion of safety around their vehicle. Space between vehicles should be increased when road conditions are hazardous. Space gives a driver more time to react and adjust to sudden stops and the unexpected.
The space ahead of the bus is most important. This space provides the time needed to stop. In normal road conditions, a four-second ‘cushion’ should be maintained between a bus and the vehicle ahead of it. This distance should be increased at higher speeds or when road and weather conditions are poor. A minimum of one extra second should be added when travelling at speeds above 40 mph/65 kph.
Managing speed is key to maintaining control of a bus. The posted speed limit may not be the safest speed. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) suggests that drivers should reduce their speed by 1/3 on wet roads and by 1/2 or more on snow-packed and icy roads.
When starting, it is important to avoid overpowering. Pressure should be slowly applied to the accelerator. Sudden acceleration may cause skidding. Skids caused by acceleration are likely to happen on ice or snow. When this happens, the driver should take their foot off the accelerator to stop the skid.
In any weather, it takes longer to stop a van or bus than it does to stop an automobile. In bad weather, braking should begin earlier than usual. This allows extra time to stop the vehicle and gives advanced warning to other drivers. Drivers should be shown how anti-lock braking systems (ABS) work on ice or snow.
On a slippery road surface, curves and turns can become difficult to negotiate. In a front wheel skid, the front end tends to go in a straight line regardless of the direction the bus is steered. The way to stop a front-wheel skid is to stop turning and slow the vehicle. If the bus begins to skid sideways, the bus should be steered into the direction of the skid and the foot taken off the accelerator.
Remind drivers to look for black ice — a thin and clear layer of ice that looks like wetness on the road.
Winter weather can create limited visibility. In low visibility conditions (e.g., fog or snow) a driver should use the bus’s full lighting system, including hazard lights. Drivers should use low beam headlights. High beams can reflect off the moisture and make it harder to see.
Snow and fog could limit visibility to the point of seeing nothing at all. When visibility is extremely limited, a driver may need to stop and pull off onto a side road or into a parking lot. A stopped bus should be moved well off the road to a safe location. Stopping on the road when visibility is limited could cause a chain reaction accident. Drivers should alert dispatch that they cannot proceed.
If it is not possible to stop, drivers should use the painted lines on the right edge of the road and in the center as a guide.
Glare from the sun, snow, reflections, and the lights of other vehicles also affect driver vision. Clean windshields help to reduce glare. Bus drivers should be reminded to keep sunglasses with them as they drive.
Student Safety
Most bus related student fatalities occur during the loading and unloading of the bus. Bus drivers should be advised to use extra caution around bus stops, school zones and at bus loading and unloading areas.
A bus driver must constantly guard against the unexpected as students enter and exit the bus. They should direct students to use handrails when boarding or exiting the bus. Bus drivers should be advised to count the number of students at the bus stop before they board and recount students as they board. Drivers should not proceed until all students are accounted for. If a student is not accounted for, the driver must check for them outside the bus. This requires a total shutdown: turn the bus off, set the parking brake, and remove the key before exiting the bus to check.
Extra caution is needed in all situations, such as when students must cross the road in traffic. Cars need extra time to stop in slick conditions. When students must cross the road in front of traffic do not anticipate a car will stop — wait until the wheels are no longer moving. Signal students to cross when all cars have stopped moving. Better yet, eliminate the need for students to cross roads in bad weather. Instruct bus drivers to adjust their routes so all students are dropped off on the same side of the road as the bus exit.
Adverse driving conditions create a great deal of stress for drivers. Student behavioral issues can add to this stress.
Many schools have afternoon announcements. Use this time to remind students of bus rules and safety considerations. Ask teachers to reinforce safe and responsible bus behaviors before dismissing students.
Emergencies
If a bus gets stuck or stranded, remind drivers to stay calm and call for help. For most emergencies, the safest place is on the bus. Advise drivers to keep the engine running and the heater on to keep students warm until help arrives. A driver might consider moving students to the front of the bus should the bus be hit from behind.
With winter weather among us, school administrators and bus drivers must navigate the challenges of operating in hazardous conditions. Winter school bus safety relies on adapting to changing weather and road dynamics, conducting thorough pre-trip inspections, and prioritizing safe driving techniques. Ensuring student safety during loading, unloading, and emergencies is paramount. Administrators are urged to coordinate closely with transportation supervisors and bus drivers, emphasizing preparedness and adherence to safety measures to navigate winter driving conditions effectively.
