Res 1224-2016

By Council Members Cabrera, Barron, Palma and Chin Whereas, Between 2005 and 2015, 31 reported accidents occurred nationwide involving a school bus dragging a student because the school bus door closed on a student's limb or backpack; and Whereas, About 20% of those 31 reported incidents occurred in New York State; and Whereas, Two of the reported accidents resulted in the death of the student who was dragged; and Whereas, New York City's Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT) is the largest school transportation department in the United States with over 600,000 students using OPT's services daily and with OPT providing additional bus service for more than 160,000 field trips every year; and Whereas, School bus doors could be fitted with safety motion sensors that would detect the proximity of a student from the door after it had closed and would indicate to the driver either by a light or a sound that a student's limb or backpack may be stuck in the closed door; and Whereas, The installation and use of safety motion sensors on school bus doors would be an easy solution to prevent the occurrence of fatal accidents involving students being dragged by school buses in New York City and throughout New York State; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation requiring the installation and use of safety motion sensors on the doors of all school buses. LS #7097 8/26/2016 5:30PM wjp 2 1