TOLEDO, Ohio — Gardian Angel is celebrating yet another state success: its 22nd state victory with a powerful solution to the school bus industry’s most troubling problems: illegal passing and school bus accidents.
The Gardian Angel school bus safety lighting system is now allowed for use on school buses in Illinois.
***Important to note: School districts and contractors would need to get written approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation prior to installing the light(s). This is done by the bus operator submitting in writing, an approval request. The bus operator would then receive an approval letter that can be used during inspections.
Mike Collingwood, Vehicle Inspection Unit Manager for the Illinois Department of Transportation, stated, “I would recommend approval from the Illinois State Police, or possibly local law enforcement in the area that a particular school district/contractor may be operating school buses equipped with this light prior to operation.”
[Illinois does not currently allow versions of the Gardian Angel with the red flashing strobes. Illinois demands mounting of the lights, under the front bumper or undercarriage, not to produce any projection from the body or chassis that could cause any snagging or tripping hazard which would also light to the left side (driver side) and or right side of the school bus at a 45-degree angle downward.]
Founder and inventor, Steve Gardner and his son, Andrew Gardner, have worked tirelessly for the last nine years proving their bus parts, and accumulating credibility among leading transportation officials and committees across the U.S. The positive effect of proactively combating stop-arm violations by the Gardian Angel has already been tested, proven and documented by school transportation industry leaders across the nation.
The Gardner’s have received the honor of having the LED lighting system currently available as optional equipment to school buses in the following 22 states: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Gardian Angel® is specifically listed in manuals such as North Carolina’s School Transportation Fleet Manual and is also endorsed by the Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation.
Gardian Angel is an exterior lighting system that easily attaches to a school bus. The system delivers the most advanced technologies to combat stop-arm violations and minimizes the public safety risks to students who rely on school transportation. This approved option also raises the bar for the current state construction standards, as well as exceeds the current federal standards.
This school bus safety feature is meant to reduce the rates of illegally passing incidents, as well as to help the driver see better in the dark. It decreases the unloading and loading zone injuries and/or fatalities, and aids in the prevention of possible collisions and school bus accidents.
With the Gardian Angel, drivers can clearly see the students in darkness. The pedestrians have a lit path walking towards the bus. Traffic in front of the bus and behind the bus can also clearly see pedestrians walking towards the school bus in darkness.
This is all possible because of the 1,000-lumen white LED floodlight which shines out the side of the front of the bus. The safety feature is aimed at the ground, automatically turns on when the red lights are activated, and turns off when the entrance door of the bus is closed.
Gardian Angel, LLC. reminds customers to check with state requirements for specific mounting locations, since they may vary.
After receiving written approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation prior to installing the light, Illinois school districts and contractors may begin purchasing Gardian Angel’s for their fleet at https://www.gardianangelllc.com.
