Risk Management Key to School Bus Safety

Whether due to driver error, mechanical failure or poor weather, many accidents involving school buses can be prevented or managed if schools and operators follow proactive risk management procedures, including having adequate insurance coverage. In April 2014, five students in Anaheim, California, were seriously injured after their bus driver had a medical emergency causing the vehicle to climb an embankment and crash into a tree. State-mandated lap-shoulder belts helped prevent fatalities, but the school district settled with the students' families for $10 million, paid through the district's insurance provider.

While insurance liability coverage requirements vary by state, school best practices include documenting all students on buses, having contingency and emergency plans, and carefully reviewing bus drivers, including background checks, driving record inspections, health exams and proper training. Schools should also educate students and families about bus safety, along with training drivers to perform daily pre- and post-trip inspections of buses.

School Transportation News (04/11/17)