Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
11003091 | Safety Science | 2018 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
While many school bus routes exclusively transport kindergarten, first, and second grade (K-2) children, school bus emergency exits are designed based on the physical capabilities of an average adult male. This makes the usability of emergency exits less than optimal for K-2 children. The objective of this study was to determine if children in (K-2) are capable of opening and evacuating from a school bus roof hatch in an emergency rollover scenario. Maximum push force exertions of 91â¯K-2 students were measured during operation of a typical school bus emergency roof hatch (designed to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard [FMVSS] No. 217 specifications). Ability to read and comprehend emergency-related words and roof hatch operating instructions was also evaluated for 58 students. Forty-two percent (42%) of kindergarten students were unable to exert the maximum permissible design force (89â¯N) necessary to operate the roof hatch. Only 20% of the participants in kindergarten were able to open the roof hatch. In a controlled environment, the majority of students (96%) were willing and able to self-extricate through the opening. However, only 33% of students had the cognitive skills necessary to understand how to open the roof hatch. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of participants who completed both the physical and cognitive aspects of the study were unable to successfully operate the school bus roof hatch.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Health and Safety
Authors
Yousif Abulhassan, Jerry Davis, Richard Sesek, Aimee Callender, Mark Schall, Sean Gallagher,