Road Watch -- FEB. 15
The recent death of a 12-year-old boy hit by a school bus outside school in Northampton County while “horsing around” with friends once more brings attention to a serious school pedestrian safety issue.
With more than 800 school buses on the roads and residential streets of Delaware County and thousands of students waiting for them at area public and private schools, maybe “NO HORSEPLAY ALLOWED” signs should be posted at area elementary and middle schools.
I hope this isn’t falling on the deaf ears and closed eyes of school administrators.
High school students should be mature enough and know better when it comes to such situations.
School-bus drivers have a big responsibility picking up and discharging students and those crossing arm gates and backing-up alarms can only do so much if students engage in careless behavior.
The recent victim was gently shoved by a 13-year-old friend and stumbled backward over a curb and under the rear wheels of the bus before class about 7:15 a.m. Jan. 26, according to the Associated Press. The victim’s mother had just dropped him off at a middle school outside Allentown when the accident occurred.
The bus that hit the boy was going 3 to 5 mph as it approached the curb to drop students off. Its rear wheels ran over the boy’s midsection. The local district attorney said the tragic accident didn’t warrant criminal charges.
About 16 children are fatally injured as pedestrians in loading/unloading zones around school buses annually nationwide.
An average of six children are fatally injured inside school buses annually nationwide and 96 percent of the 8,500-12,000 children injured in school bus accidents annually are considered minor (scrapes, bruises, etc.), according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
This is compared to more than 42,000 people killed in other traffic crashes on U.S. roads every year.
Statewide, more than 1.5 million students are transported daily on nearly 30,000 buses over 350 million miles a year. Despite the above statistics, school buses are one of the safest forms of transportation on the road today, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Even so, nothing strikes fear in the hearts and minds of the parents of a student than news of a local school bus accident.
Hey, kids, knock off the horseplay at school-bus loading/unloading areas — before it’s too late.
Interstate 78
New Jersey transportation officials are preparing to unclog one of the metropolitan area’s most congested highways. I-78, which runs from Pennsylvania to Manhattan, will soon have travel times posted on overhead, electronic message boards.
Traffic operations director Jim Hogan says the seven boards will cover a 10-mile stretch, from Route 24 to the New Jersey Turnpike, according to the Associated Press.
The goal is to help drivers decide whether to use the inner express lanes or outer local lanes, which could help minimize delays.
The information used to calculate travel times will be collected from sensors that scan E-ZPass transponders.
TeenDriving Law
AAA is calling on lawmakers to pass a stronger teen driving law in Pennsylvania — House Bill 67 introduced to the transportation committee in Harrisburg by Rep. Joseph Markosek of Allegheny/Westmoreland counties in late January.
State Rep. Bryan Lentz, D-161, of Swarthmore, is one of the sponsors of the bill, which was recommitted to the appropriations committee Feb. 5. He believes it would greatly reduce the distractions that cause accidents for teen drivers and impose stricter guidelines for inexperienced teen drivers.
The proposed legislation would prohibit the use of interactive wireless communication devices such as hand-held cell phones and text-messaging; prevent junior drivers from driving with more than one passenger under age 18 and require more hours of driving experience. The latter would include 10 hours of nighttime and five hours of inclement weather driving.
State Rep. Steve Barrar, R-160, of Upper Chichester, said he agreed that some provisions of the bill are absolutely necessary, but he was doubtful about further limiting the restrictions on the number of teen passengers in a teen driver’s car.
AAA points out that car crashes remain the leading cause of deaths among 16- to 19-year-olds. The latest data from PennDOT show that there were 101 fatalities and 9,726 crashes in 2007 involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers.
Barrar said it would be “draconian” to further limit the number of passengers and, in effect, would “outlaw double-dating for teenagers.”
Granted, Steve, but when you fill up your van or SUV up with five or more rambunctious teens, you can’t tell me that isn’t a major distraction unless you’re a stoic, eyes-always-on-the-road driver.
Traffic Delays
Marple — Media Line Road, Aqua utility installation between Lovell Avenue and Highland Road 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through May. Work began Jan. 12.
Chester — Flower Street, ramp construction with a new traffic pattern at Fourth and Second streets, 24-hour restriction through 2011. Work began Jan. 12.
Also, Norris Street, ramp construction with lane restrictions at Front Street and Delaware Avenue, 24-hour restriction through 2011. Work began Jan. 12.
U.S. Route 1 North — PECO Energy utility installation between Red Roof Road and Pennell Road (Route 452) 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Feb. 18. Work began Dec. 22.
U.S. Route 1 North — PECO Energy utility installation between Red Roof Road and Pennell Road (Route 452) 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays through Feb. 18. Work began Dec. 22.
Nether Providence — Chestnut Parkway, PECO Energy trench restoration between Harvey Road and 24th Street, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Feb. 20.
“Road Watch” appears Sundays. Only messages and mail with phone numbers will be considered. E-mail: jroman@delcotimes.com.