When an 8-year-old Brooklyn girl died after a schoolmate sneaked onto an empty school bus parked on a hill and sent it hurtling into her, parents prayed steps would be taken to prevent another tragedy.
Apparently, nothing was done.
All last spring and all last week - until the Daily News made inquiries - buses were parked on a hill on Nostrand Ave. in Crown Heights, just as they were before the accident that killed straight-A student Amber Sadiq.
No bus stopped
When an 8-year-old Brooklyn girl died after a schoolmate sneaked onto an empty school bus parked on a hill and sent it hurtling into her, parents prayed steps would be taken to prevent another tragedy.
Apparently, nothing was done.
All last spring and all last week – until the Daily News made inquiries – buses were parked on a hill on Nostrand Ave. in Crown Heights, just as they were before the accident that killed straight-A student Amber Sadiq.
A News reporter was able to get on a bus easily through the back door – just as a schoolboy did in May when he entered a bus and released the emergency brake.
“Nothing’s changed, even right after the accident,” said Eric Stewart, 29, father of a Public School 161 third-grader – the grade Amber would have entered last week. “You’d think they wouldn’t park there.”
After The News called two bus companies and a city councilwoman repeatedly called the Department of Education, the school buses were no longer parked at the corner yesterday.
Ed Department bus czar Marty Oestreicher said school system officials would be at the corner today directing bus drivers to park nearby on Crown St., which is flat.
“You would have thought they would respond more quickly because they are being sued right now by the Sadiq family,” said Councilwoman Letitia James (WFP-Prospect Heights).
Amber’s family notified the city in July that it intends to file a multimillion-dollar wrongful death suit, alleging the city had failed to secure the buses.
James said she had called DOE officials twice about the issue last week. Late Thursday, she received an e-mail saying school officials were working on it. Still the buses were parked on the hill through the end of last week and on Monday.
Locking emergency exits when buses are parked is forbidden by state law, DOE spokesman Keith Kalb said.
“It would be more dangerous for [emergency exits] to be locked,” he said, citing the fire hazard if a driver forgot to unlock them.
But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration takes a different view on parking safety. “We recommend that [emergency exits on] buses be locked [when parked],” agency spokesman Jose Ucles said.
Bus Driver
Since the subject of Shcool bussed is already broght up…
All school bus drivers have recently attended a mandatory bus driver’s course to update them on all new laws and regulations concerning school bus safety.
Safety Tips: A Must for Everyone!
For Children:
• Do Not approach the bus until it comes to a full, complete stop and the door / stop sign is open. (When the door is not on your side, Wait till the bus driver says it’s safe to come across the street.)
• When you get off the bus, take five giant steps away from the bus, out of the danger zone.
• Cross in front of the bus, and make sure the bus driver can always see you.
• Never Never go back for anything.
• Never bend down near or under the bus.
• Never walk behind the bus, even when the bus is not in motion.
For Parents:
• Please go over the above rules with your children.
• Assure your children that you won’t get mad if they do not go back onto the bus for anything they may have left behind.
• Instruct your children to never look for school work they may have dropped under or near the bus.
• Make sure all drawstrings on backpacks and clothing are shortened or removed to lessen the likelihood of them getting caught in bus doors, railings and / or aisles.
• Please be waiting outside Five minutes before bus’ arrival, do not wait until you hear the bus honk. Routinely using the horn to alert children that the bus has arrived is not its proper use. Honking the horn is to be used as a danger signal to warn students that a car is approaching. If you are late, the bus cannot wait for you. Your friends are also waiting at the other stops.
• According to the law, there is absolutely no eating or drinking on buses due to choking hazards (as has happened in the past). It is advisable not to send any food on the bus. If need be, please send food in a closed, sealed bag and advise your child that it should only be opened once she reaches school.
• Remember to drive with caution! School buses will be on the roads and are carrying precious cargo.
Parents Be Advised: The driver of a vehicle overtaking from either direction, even on divided or multi-lane roads, any school bus with its red lights flashing and / or stop sign arm out will be fined. Passing a stopped school bus is a 5 point violation, plus a $250.00 fine, for a first time offender!!
Remember, the drivers have nothing against you and are looking out for the safety of their passengers!!! Please work together with them to insure a safe, smooth ride to and from school!
Double Parking on alternate side parking days, are a courtesy.
If you are blocking traffic you will get a ticket, and rightfully so.
To many times we (Bus drivers) are getting stuck on Union or Eastern Pkwy, because of double parking, please be considerate.
As a bus driver, I do not like to be causing traffic and I defiantly don’t want to be behind a Bus that is.
Therefore, do not chat with the Bus driver, there are other people waiting behind the Bus. If you have any questions, call your school.
You should also be waiting on time; it is not fair for the Bus driver and other parents who are waiting outside and on time. If you’re not waiting (Ready) for the Bus, the Bus will skip your stop.
If you miss your Bus, do not chase after it, it is dangers. Find another way to take your child to school.
Do not come on the Bus with your Child.
It is not easy to drive a Bus, especially when we are charring the most precious cargo in the world, therefore,
It goes with out saying that you don’t speak in any negative way to your Bus driver. If you thank your delivery man for delivering mare fruits and vegetables, how much more so the person bringing your child to and from school every day.
Follow the rules and all will be good.
Our main goal is to get your child to and from school in the must safest manner.
Everyone has to work together to make the bus safe!
Wishing you a happy, healthy and safe Year,
The Bus Drivers
bus driver
buses can yes have a safety lock on their exit emergency doors along with a safety switch that will not allow bus to start unless lock is released … bais rivkah as such on one of their buses and maybe now bais rivkah will do it to their other bus .. i hope bais rivkah can learn from other peoples mistakes and put a lock with a safety switch on the bus that does not have one
That-s what lawsuits are for
They were not hit with the million dollar suit yet. Thats the only way to wake up the city.
oh my gosh!
its relly sad that an 8 year old girl died becuase a school bus wich they should make it more safe that an 8 year old girl cant sneak on to a bus
Bus Driver
Why no seat belts on shcool busses?
Very few injuries happen in school buses. Instead of requiring seat belts, school buses are designed and constructed differently from passenger cars. School buses protect passengers through "compartmentalization", a design that includes:
• Seats with high backs;
• Seats filled with energy-absorbing material;
• Seats placed close together to form compartments;
• Strong seat anchorages.
Studies have shown that adding seat belts to the current seating configuration of a school bus can increase the chance of head and neck injuries. For a seat belt to be effective, it must be worn correctly, snug and on the upper thighs. Because school vehicles carry passengers from the very young to high school students, if seat belts were used, they would need to be readjusted and their use monitored. A seat belt not worn correctly may cause serious injuries.
Road Safety,
It starts with you.
another bus driver
all air brake vehicle have a special safety that when you drain the air out the emergency brake will pop and unless you start up the bus and let it fill up with air… and also lubavicher yeshiva has a thing that all the doors get locked at the same time and open and the same time