[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 153 (Wednesday, October 30, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S7683]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


SENATE RESOLUTION 278--DESIGNATING OCTOBER 2013 AS ``SCHOOL BUS SAFETY 
                                MONTH''

  Mr. THUNE (for himself and Mr. Rockefeller) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to.:

                              S. Res. 278

       Whereas approximately 450,000 public and private school 
     buses carry 26,000,000 children to and from school every 
     weekday in the United States;
       Whereas America's 450,000 public and private school buses 
     comprise the largest mass transportation fleet in the Nation;
       Whereas during the school year, school buses make more than 
     55,000,000 passenger trips daily and students ride these 
     school buses 10,000,000,000 times per year as the Nation's 
     fleet travels over 4,000,000,000 miles per school year;
       Whereas school buses are designed to be safer than 
     passenger vehicles and are 13 times safer than other modes of 
     school transportation, and 44 times safer than vehicles 
     driven by teenagers;
       Whereas in an average year, about 25 school children are 
     killed in school bus accidents, with one-third of these 
     children struck by their own school buses in loading/
     unloading zones, one-third struck by motorists who fail to 
     stop for school buses, and one-third killed as they approach 
     or depart a school bus stop;
       Whereas The Child Safety Network, celebrating 25 years of 
     national public service, has collaborated with the school bus 
     industry to create public service announcements to reduce 
     distracted driving near school buses, increase ridership, and 
     provide free resources to school districts in order to 
     increase driver safety training, provide free technology for 
     tracking school buses, and educate students; and
       Whereas the adoption of School Bus Safety Month will allow 
     broadcast and digital media and social networking industries 
     to make commitments to disseminate public service 
     announcements designed to save children's lives by making 
     motorists aware of school bus safety issues: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate designates October 2013 as 
     ``School Bus Safety Month''.

                          ____________________