Twice a year, the district reminds students about danger zone safety rules during its bus evacuation drills. Yet, a recent incident involving Henry confirmed that words and training are not enough to prevent life-threatening events.
Henry, an eager pre-K student, arrived late at his bus stop one day due to a power outage at home. Like any excited youngster, he ran to board his bus. Without thinking, he crossed in front of the bus and out of the driver’s sight.
Was it dumb luck that Henry eventually caught his driver’s attention? Or did the driver have an onboard assistant to thank? Read on for the answers.
1. The 360° Advantage
A second set of eyes can be invaluable for student safety – a statement that Henry’s driver can attest to. Because of REI’s 360° HD Camera System and its expansive views, he spotted Henry in the danger zone and promptly braked, preventing an unspeakable tragedy.
Now, this system provides full coverage of bus surroundings via bird’s-eye and three-dimensional views. For drivers, that means unobstructed, real-time views of students, objects or vehicles that may be hidden from sight. Henry’s driver uses it at bus stops and during turns and lane changes to avoid collisions. Your drivers would likely appreciate the extra visibility too.
But the district didn’t stop at just one solution to improve danger zone safety. They doubled up by adding a vision-based AI tool.
2. The Violation Detector
An estimated 251,000+ stop-arm violations occur daily around the U.S.* To oversee the stop-arm zone and deter illegal passings by repeat offenders, the district installed an REI AI Stop-Arm Violation Camera System on every bus.
The system’s vision-based AI camera sees vehicles enter its detection zone while the stop arm is extended. It then triggers the license plate cameras into action and facilitates an automated report in REI’s ARMOR™ Software Suite.** The report allows the district to quickly review violators’ license plates and data before sharing the information with law enforcement if needed.
Imagine both systems at work for your district. Your drivers would likely feel more at ease with 360-degree danger zone views. In addition, you would likely feel more relaxed knowing an automated detection system monitors your danger zone for stop-arm violators. A definite win-win for students and your district.
Visit radioeng.com to watch a 360° System demo or learn more about our AI Stop-Arm Camera System and ARMOR Software Suite.
*2024 survey results, National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services
**Additional hardware and software required.
The views expressed are those of the content sponsor and do not reflect those of School Transportation News.
