Statement

In the event that a school purpose vehicle is involved in a collision or incident, a series of communications and actions must take place, depending on the seriousness of the collision or incident. Our first and foremost priority is the students’ well-being.

Definition(s)

For the purpose of the procedure, the following definitions will apply:

Collision: any occurrence where a school purpose vehicle, with or without children on board, is involved in a collision with another vehicle, comes into contact with a pedestrian, cyclist and/or student, causes damages to private property or the vehicle unintentionally leaves the roadway.

Incident: any occurrence where a child requires medical attention (allergy or seizure), becomes injured either while riding on the bus or while entering/exiting the vehicle.

Preventability –a collision in which the driver failed to do everything reasonable under the circumstances to prevent the collision from happening.

Preventable Collision –one where the driver, or company, or both, failed to act in a reasonably expected manner.

Defensive Driver –one who drives so as to prevent collisions in spite of the incorrect actions of others and adverse driving conditions.

Responsibilities during a Collision

Responsibilities of the Bus Driver:

  1. Verify the passengers’ condition and ensure that all passengers are safe.
  2. Contact the dispatcher to report the collision (time, location, specify if wheelchair passengers are on-board, etc.). If required, request that emergency team(s) be dispatched to the scene of the collision.
  3. If required, ask a responsible student on the bus to keep the group of students together until the arrival of the emergency team(s).
  4. Assist any injured students until the arrival of the emergency team(s), without moving him/her, unless it is absolutely necessary.
  5. Keep the students who are not injured away from any source of danger.
  6. Prepare a student list if possible and communicate the names on the list (if applicable) to dispatch at the appropriate time (i.e. once emergency response teams are on site).

Responsibilities of the School Bus Operator:

  1. Call emergency services, i.e. police and ambulance.
  2. Immediately inform the school Principal first and then STSWR about the details of the collision or incident, including the students’ and bus driver’s condition. Determine with the school who will be contacting the parents of the student’s on board.
  3. Dispatch a replacement vehicle and ask the driver to cover this route in addition to his own, if needed.
  4. Dispatch a person in charge of collisions to the scene in order to take photographs and record details pertaining to the collision.
  5. Students are only to be transferred to another vehicle once they have been released by police or other emergency services personnel.
  6. Post collision immediately on web portal.
  7. Submit COLLISION REPORT and/or INCIDENT REPORT to STSWR within 48 hours following the collision.
  8. For the reporting purpose, all collisions (as defined above) occurring between the depot or parking location until the return to the depot or parking location when a vehicle is assigned to service a route must be reported.

Responsibilities of School Administration:

1. Alert STSWR if contact has not been made.
2. Inform the parents/guardians of affected children.
3. Designate staff members to respond to questions from the parents/guardians or to meet with them.
4. If required, delegate staff members to go to the hospitals.
5. Prepare a letter for parents/guardians with the assistance of the Communication Department of the appropriate school board.
6. Record in writing all information about the phone calls concerning the collision; report the facts clearly and accurately.
7. Direct phone calls from the media to the Manager of Communications of the school board.
8. Inform STSWR of any new developments.

Responsibilities of Staff of STSWR:

1. The staff member receiving first contact will record all pertinent information in writing. (Bus co., route number, school run affected, location …)
2. Confirm the school principal has been informed, if not make that contact.
3. Inform the General Manager, or designate, of the event.
4. Ensure that either the school or operator has contacted all parents of injured students.
5. Produce an emergency call list from the web site that can be emailed/faxed if needed by the principal or police.
6. Remain at the office to direct the parents’/guardians’ phone calls to the school principal and media calls to the Manager of Communications of the affected school board.
7. Provide any assistance or additional information that may be required by the school principal or police.
8. Retain and have available an COLLISION REPORT and/or INCIDENT REPORT and staff notes relating to the collision for the appropriate Board office.

Collision Report

The Collision Report must at a minimum cover:

  • Driver identification
  • Vehicle information
  • Third Party identification
  • Witness identification
  • Passenger list
  • Collision details
  • Collision investigation details
  • Driver statement
  • Preventability assessment
  • Corrective action