WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Keeping our children safe when they ride school buses and when they board or exit the buses is the goal of a new state grant program.
School Districts and companies that transport students can apply for funds to upgrade safety features on school buses and make bus stops safer places.
The I-Team has been looking into school bus safety and the increasing number of close calls in NEPA for the last several years.
Lead investigator Andy Mehalshick reports live tonight with what this state program could mean for keeping our kids safe.
The 28/22 News I-Team is looking into a rising number of close calls at school bus stops.
This comes as more drivers are passing stopped school buses even though the warning lights are activated.
It's all about keeping our kids safe. We are standing on Coal Street in Wilkes-Barre, always a busy street.
There are several school bus stops on this street.
This large electronic sign was put up several years ago because of all the close calls.
One of those close calls was caught on camera.
That was the moment that Alison Wynder thought she would record the death of her eight year old son.
He was hit by a vehicle as it passed a school bus.
Despite the fact that it's warning lights were flashing and side stop sign arm was extended, he suffered minor injuries.
A state grant program is making funds available to school district and bus companies to upgrade their bus? What does Wynder think about the funding program?
"I think its a great idea. I think it's about time actually. I think they should have awareness all the time," voiced Wynder.
State representative Eddie Day Pashinski says everything thing that can be done to keep kids safe must be done.
"We'll provide money to help extend those arms that comes out on those buses so it goes out even further, so even a person who may not be watching might see something totally across the street. The other thing, use those cameras so we can identify who do violate it," explained Pashinski.
Nathan Barrett is superintendent of the Hanover Area School District.
"The Hanover Area School District is seeking this grant primarily looking for the cameras on the exterior of the bus to try to help reduce some violators who are coming by when those red lights are blinking," stated Barrett.
Henry Elmy is a longtime school bus driver and manager of HA Transportation, which transports students for the Hanover Area School District.
"We have at least two or three times a day People run our school buses. We have close calls with kids almost getting hit and the problem is people don't know the rules of the school bus laws," expressed Elmy.
The state grant funding has a pool of money that school districts can apply for, but it must be used to upgrade safety devices on buses and safety awareness for drivers.
