The Rossville Consolidated School District announced its piloting of a groundbreaking new safety technology that positions the district as the first Indiana school to incorporate “Focused Illuminated Projection” technology on its school buses with a focus to enhance school bus safety.
The technology has been developed by AIG Safety through its Perimeter SAFE Zone Lighting with an aim to improve the safety of students during school bus pickups and drop-offs. The district stated that school transportation safety becomes an increasing concern as daylight hours decrease in the fall, winter and early spring.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and state authorities have stringent regulations to ensure school buses are identifiable in all conditions. However, despite these guidelines, school bus-related incidents continue to pose a risk to student safety, with approximately 17,000 emergency room visits annually due to school bus accidents and an average of 19 fatalities reported nationwide, according to the Federal Department of Transportation.
The technology piloted by the district provides a low-technology solution that significantly enhances the safety measures already in place. It achieves this by statically illuminating the 10-foot stopping threshold in front of and behind the school bus, alerting both oncoming and following vehicles during a school bus stop. This “Focused Illuminated Projection” system creates a visible barrier on the roadway that indicates the required stopping distance for other drivers, thus helping to prevent illegal passing incidents and increasing student safety.
In addition to acting as a visual cue for drivers, the technology also serves as an ‘illuminated crosswalk’ for students. The system is activated simultaneously with the school bus’s flashing red lights and stop arm deployment. Utilizing LED lights with specialized lenses, the projection is designed for easy installation and can be controlled using the bus’s current electrical relay systems.
For more information about the “Focused Illuminated Projection” technology or the safety initiatives undertaken by the Rossville Consolidated School District, contact Dr. Jim Hanna, Superintendent, at 765-379-2990 Extension 711.
