Will Indiana Legislators Respond in Wake of School Bus Tragedy?

school-busses-495x400

An Indiana lawmaker noting a horrific traffic outcome that recently occurred in the state notes that, “Tragedies lead to people taking action.”

Yes, they sometimes do. That is hopefully the case in the near wake of the devastating accident that took the lives of three children late last month (two twin brothers and their older sister) as they sought to board a school bus in northern Indiana.

We referenced that accident in our October 30 blog post, noting therein that multiple factors might have contributed to it. The driver who struck the children (also injuring a fourth child) told investigators that she had no advance warning of the children’s presence and thus no time to take evasive action.

The tragedy has brought a strong response from multiple state legislators, several who stress that Indiana needs to have uniform installation of stop-arm cameras on all school buses in the state. The lawmakers further underscore that outfitting the buses with cameras needs to be augmented by harsher penalties meted out to drivers who pass stopped buses with safety arms engaged.

State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) says that he will be pushing strongly for the enactment of a stop-arm camera law. He points to outsized risks that children routinely face from drivers who flagrantly whiz by stopped buses with stop-arms deployed. Some bus drivers reportedly see such behavior half a dozen times a day or more.

Certainly, no compassionate and safety-conscious adult in Indiana (especially a parent) would begrudge legislative efforts to bring about such a change. Mass camera installation would likely make for a tax exaction of mere pennies on residents, and money taken in from ticketed offenses could be funneled back into the program.

Our children are vulnerable and incalculably precious. Efforts to promote their safety are of the highest importance.

Categories:

Related Blog