Proposal to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Project Title: A Cooperative Program to Reduce Incidents of Vehicles Passing Stopped School Buses in a Coastal Region of North Carolina

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration zStop Arm Violations - High Priority zDemonstration Projects Funded zIssued up to 4 grants nationally zWhy North Carolina?

Background : November, 1996 zReport on the Spring, 1995 Florida stop arm study presented at the National Association for Pupil Transportation Conference zCar that passed their stopped school bus hit two students in Davidson County znot only a problem in Florida but in North Carolina as well

Stop Arm Violation Task Force zDepartment of Public Instruction zGuilford County Schools zWake County Schools zWilson County Schools zGovernor’s Highway Safety Program zHighway Patrol zInstitute for Transportation Research and Education (NC State) zDivision of Motor Vehicles

NC - baseline data in April, 1997 z2,636 stop arm violations counted by drivers on April 15, 1997 z1,935 stop arm violations counted by drivers on April 21, 1998 yNot as many counties participated

Issues zHigh Number of Violations Reported zDefinition of violation yWhen the stop sign comes on yIs the bus still moving? zCourt System zVehicle Equipment zAwareness/Different Laws

Media event - August, 1997

Mike Ward State Superintendent

Richard Moore Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety

Janice Faulkner DMV Commissioner

Media event - August, 1997 yUnited plea for motorists to heed the school bus stop arm yAnnounced the results of the 1997 count yPSA distributed to all media in the state

“The Bus Stops Here….And So Should You” zNational Awards yEducation Press Association xDistinguished Achievement Award yAmerican Association of Motor Vehicle Records Administrators xRegional xNational zNorth Carolina State Fair, October, 1997 yStop arm violation awareness theme at school transportation exhibit yschool bus stop arm law yPSA yThousands of stickers: “The Bus Stops Here… And So Should You”.

Law Enforcement Involvement yNC Highway Patrol xOfficer On A School Bus xStop for the School Bus y“Operation Stop Arm”- Guilford County

NHTSA Project - Target Communities zNew Hanover County zPender County zOnslow County

New Hanover County Schools zOver 21,000 students; about 11,000 ride 174 yellow buses z1997 stoparm count, 93 violations counted z1998 stoparm count, 80 violations counted zKey Personnel: yMichael Wayne, transportation director yJackie Genes, TIMS coordinator

Onslow County Schools zOver 22,000 students; about 12,500 ride 201 yellow buses z1997 stoparm count, 61 violations counted z1998 stoparm count, 40 violations counted zKey Personnel: yJeff Smith, transportation director yBarbara Rooks, TIMS coordinator

Pender County Schools zAbout 6,000 students; about 3,800 ride 85 yellow buses z1997 stoparm count, 20 violations counted z1998 stoparm count, 9 violations counted zKey Personnel: yJerry Faulk, transportation director yThurman Casey, TIMS coordinator

Key Project Components zBus Driver Stoparm Violation Data Collection zTransportation Information Management System (TIMS) yStatewide system for routing/scheduling school buses zData Reporting: Mapping of Results

Key Project Components (cont’d) zLaw Enforcement Response yData and Maps Supplied yLocal Expertise zVideo and Engine Analysis zPublic Awareness – Air Time for PSA yPossible Stations xWCTI-TV, New Bern xWITN-TV, Washington xWFXI-TV, Morehead City xWECT-TV, Wilmington

TIMELINE zMid September, 1998 – Initial Meeting of Project Team zEarly October 1998 – Take initial counts zOctober, 1998 yProduce maps yInitial PSA airing yNC State Fair

TIMELINE (cont’d) zLate October/Early November, 1998 y“Operation Stop Arm” yInstall Video Equipment zNovember, 1998 yStoparm Violation Count # 2 zFebruary, 1999 ySecond PSA Airing yStoparm Violation Count #3

TIMELINE zMarch, 1999 y“Operation Stop Arm” yRelease results of Video Observations zApril, Statewide One Day Count of Stoparm Violations zAugust, Back to School Push

Ongoing zEducational materials - school PTAs and community groups zNC Highway Patrol programs

Next Steps zRefined timeline and summary sent to all project partipants zData Collections within a few weeks zData reporting/mapping compiled