Schoolbus safety: child safety alert system.
The delay in implementing the child safety alert systems is significant for the safety and operation of school transportation. These systems are designed to ensure that drivers check the entire interior of the vehicle before exiting, thereby reducing the risk of leaving children unattended on buses. The bill's passage is intended to provide schoolbus fleets with additional time to properly install and integrate these systems, which could enhance overall child safety during transportation.
Senate Bill 1068, introduced by Senator Mendoza, seeks to amend Section 28160 of the Vehicle Code regarding schoolbus safety. This bill modifies the existing requirement for schoolbuses, school pupil activity buses, youth buses, and child care motor vehicles to be equipped with a child safety alert system. Initially, all such vehicles were mandated to have these systems installed by the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, but SB 1068 postpones that requirement to the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, allowing more time for compliance.
Notably, the urgency of this bill is declared in order to address immediate concerns regarding the installation timelines of safety features in schoolbuses. By designating the bill as an urgency statute, it emphasizes the need for expeditious implementation to protect children's safety. However, there could be contention surrounding the adequacy of the delay and whether sufficient measures are in place to ensure that safety protocols are not compromised during this extended timeline.