Sometimes the best solution is the simplest. That may be the case with the new school bus safety product called “Can You See Me.” The product is a simple, arm-like prop, but it has an important purpose – teaching drivers to thoroughly check mirrors for students in the danger zone.
The prop arms were created by veteran school bus driver Victoria DeCarlo, who first gained recognition for the Steffi Crossing Enhancer.
Transportation managers and trainers can place the “Can You See Me” in various places around the bus, including along the side or below the front bumper. This allows new drivers to properly understand thata child close to the bus isn’t always easy to see and reinforce driver awareness.
“When the driver sees what it is, reality strikes hard and is unforgettable, making safer drivers,” DeCarlo explained.
DeCarlo also said the prop arm “basically trains the driver to look beyond the expected” and to look closer at mirrors in hopes of preventing accidents in situations where a student may be bending down to pick up a dropped item or other similar situations.
As with the Steffi Crossing Enhancer, the “Can You See Me” arms were first pt in use at the Lake Shore Central School District in Angola, N.Y., where DeCarlo works. Transportation Supervisor Perry Oddi has made a practice of hiding the arms randomly on buses to ensure drivers go through proper pre-trip inspections.
“He will hide one of these behind the back seat, under seats, etc., and has had an overwhelming success with his drivers finding the item during their pre-trip,” DeCarlo said.
Drivers are instructed to radio in to the office immediately after finding one of the prop arms.
The “Can You See Me” kit contains three arms and one clear tag with instructions on returning them to the supervisor. The arms come in three colors — tan, black and red — for various levels of difficulty in spotting them.
