‘Danger! Come back! “The high-tech” super bus “means business in Osceola County (Alexa Lorenzo, WFTV.com/WFTV)
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Florida – Central Florida kids will be back in class soon – and that means school buses will be back on the area’s roads.
Districts want motorists to be aware when they are behind the wheel.
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In Osceola County, Channel 9 reporter Alexa Lorenzo had the chance to catch a glimpse of a “super bus” that takes student safety to the next level.
When a school bus stops and its sign stretches, you stop. It’s pretty simple and it’s the law.
But all too often, people drive around the stationary school bus, putting their commute before the safety of the children.
The “super bus” is rigged with a handful of live cameras to catch offenders in the act.
The Osceola County School District first tested these buses on the streets last school year.
“Our drivers, when they ride this bus, feel really great because it adds an extra layer of protection for the students on board,” explained District Transportation Director Orville Watson.
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If a car is passing by, a sensor inside the bus near the driver will turn red.
The bus will also automatically deploy the predictive stop arm when its sensors detect oncoming cars, along with a loud message: “Danger! Resume!”
Watson said that in a perfect world, all district buses would be this high-tech, but that’s not possible with current funding restrictions.
READ: Osceola County School Bus Equipped With New Safety Lights
Other district transportation improvements will include new safety lights on buses to make them more visible, particularly in poorly lit areas along rural roads.
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