LOS ANGELES, CA, September 29, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — If you like college football, basketball and baseball, and have a sweet tooth, a special treat is now available. My Idolpops LLC, a leading, premium confectionery manufacturer, is using the “fun power of the lollipop” to place the limelight on US college sports with lollipops available at campus bookstores and major national retailers. With more than 70 flavors, from Root Beer and Mocha Cappuccino to Cotton Candy, My Idolpops’ sports lollipops are in the detailed shape of a football helmet, basketball, football, and baseball.

The sweet Collegiate Sports line will likely be featured in a new program set up with ICBA/The Independent College Bookstore Association’s 144 member colleges such as University of Tennessee, University of Missouri, University of Wisconsin, University of Oregon, University of Texas, Boise State University, and California State University Fullerton (a college having a leading baseball team). Special “licensed” lollipops incorporate top colleges such as the University of Southern California/USC and Michigan State University/MSU.

Lollipops are big organization, representing a $400 million segment of the over-12-billion-dollar candy organization…and sweet success is coming early for My Idolpops – a company committed to creating and advertising and marketing custom-designed lollipops, all made in the USA with the highest high quality standards. My Idolpops is unique in that it uses custom-designed proprietary molds to exhibit the actual shape of licensed brands, characters or logos…a key reason why the Company has just been selected to develop pops for the characters of an upcoming A-list celebrity, animated Hollywood film. The Company has hired the business development firm Venture Studios (www.venturestudios.net) of Los Angeles to spearhead and promote new licensing and advertising and marketing initiatives.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — Prof Joseph Francois. Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, and Senior Study Fellow, Department of Economics, Strathclyde Organization School.
Strathclyde University Affiliated Researchers and External Associates : I’m professor of economics (having a chair in financial theory) with the Johannes Kepler Universitt Linz. I’m also a fellow of the Centre for Financial Policy Investigation (London) along with the Tinbergen Institute (Amsterdam/Rotterdam), director of the European Trade Study Group and also the Institute for International and Development Economics, research fellow with the Vienna Institute for International Financial Studies, as well as a board member of the Global Trade Analysis Project. I serve on the editorial board of the Review of Development Economics, as well as the Globe Trade Evaluation. I’m also a member of the policy advisory group TradePartnership. Past skilled incarnations have included professor of economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam, research economist for the Globe Trade Organization, and chief of analysis and acting director of economics for the U.S. International Trade Commission. I studied economics in the University of Maryland along with the University of Virginia.

Strathclyde University Affiliated Researchers and External Associates: My present study interests are somewhat scattered. They consist of: trade linkages to recession and growth; globalization and in equality trends: trade in services; open economy competition policy and also the regulation of firm behavior; financial marketplace integration; open economy growth and development; economic integration (like EU enlargement and American hemisphere integration schemes); the multilateral trading technique (including China’s accession); trade and investment policy below imperfect competition (including the location of market); uncertainty in computable common equilibrium; the labor market place impact of globalization; the role of the service sector (finance, margin and intermediate services, and so on.) in trade and development; competition inside the service sectors; computational partial and common equilibrium modeling; income distribution in common equilibrium models of trade and competition; and estimation and inference within nonlinear systems (like significant scale, multi-sector common equilibrium econometric models).

Strathclyde University Affiliated Researchers and External Associates : Working papers & publications
You can find links to most of the papers listed below (published and unpublished) on the right. REPEC has probably the most complete collection of links. If you are looking for a book chapter of something of the sort, let me know and I will try to post it.

Recent working papers: Market place Structure and Market place Access, Francois, J. and I. Wooton, fothcoming inWorld Economy. Services Trade and Policy , Francois, J. and B. Hoekman, this version 2009, forthcoming in the Journal of Economic Literature. Trading Profiles and Developing Country Participation within the WTO Dispute Settlement Technique, Francois, J., H.Horn and N. Kaunitz, this version 2008. Heterogeneous Firms, the Structure of Industry & Trade below Oligopoly, Bekkers, E. and J. Francois, this version 2008. Dynamic Factor Price Equalization and International Convergence, J. Francois and C. Shiells, this version 2008. Equity and International Trade, J. Francois and H. Rojas-Romagosa, 2008. Economic perspectives for Central America after CAFTA, J. Francois, L. Rivera, and H. Rojas-Romagosa, this version 2008. Reassessing the relationship between inequality and development, J. Francois & H.Rojas-Romagosa, this version 2008. Cross-Border Trade and FDI in Services, C. Fillat-Castejon, J. Francois, and J. Woerz, this version 2008. Endogenous Protection in Common Equilibrium: estimating political weights within the EU, Francois, J., D. Nelson along with a, Balaoing, this version 2008. Institutions, Infrastructure, and Trade, Francois J and M. Manchin, this version 2007.

Strathclyde is actually a fantastic place to study and enjoy life in the same time. And this can be where you can find out everything about us – from how we teach, to what’s on in Glasgow and the best way to get around. We want to help you make essentially the most of your time here, so we hope you’ll come back to these pages to get all the latest news about what’s happening on campus and in and around the city.

ALEXANDRIA, VA, September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technologies, Engineering, Math and Science(AHETEMS) will hold an annual Conference from October 27-31 in Cincinnati, OH. The conference focuses on supplying Science Technologies Engineering and Math (STEM) students of Hispanic or Latino origin scholarship, internship and career opportunities.

The 2010 SHPE conference gives Hispanic and Latino students in high school, college and graduate school many opportunities to boost their careers in technical fields.

Educators may possibly attend the AHETEMS Teacher Program or participate inside the Deans’ Summit. Dr. Emir Jose Macari, the Dean of Engineering and Computer Science at California State University Sacramento, will chair the Deans’ Summit and Bill Carroll, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington will Co-Chair it. The keynote speaker for the conference will likely be Felix A. Miranda, Chief of the Antenna and Optical Systems Branch for NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field.

The Pre-College Symposia is designed for high school students preparing for college study in STEM fields. It contains college preparation workshops, science and engineering workshops, as well as a symposia dinner sponsored by the Department of Defense.

Activities for undergraduate students consist of: a Grad Lab/GRE prep class, an Academic Olympiad designed to test students’ technical expertise, a style competition which will demonstrate an original thought inside the field of robotics, plus a Graduate School and Career Fair.

Graduate students participate in a two-day program that prepares them to transition from academic studies into their expert field of interest. On the agenda is: proposal writing workshops, workshops on dissertation skills, acquiring published, writing resumes and CV’s and acquiring letters of recommendation.

Corporate sponsors for the event consist of Macy’s, U.S. Navy, Intel, Common Electric, Department of Defense, NASA, Hispanic College Fund, U.S. Department of Energy, as well as the U.S. Army.

Deborah Martinez, Director of Programs for SHPE says, “The SHPE 2010 Conference encourages and rewards excellence for Hispanic and Latino high school, undergraduate and graduate students and professionals within the STEM fields who’re stepping out into the specialist workforce. This can be the largest conference of its type held in the United States, and is attended by the most distinguished scientific and technical minds working in these fields right now.” For more details, or to create a donation, check out, http://www.ahetems.org/2010-shpe-conference/pre-college-symposia10/.

SEATTLE, WA, September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — Wonderful Children! (amazing-kids.org) has been selected as one of the Top 24 “Great Internet sites for Kids” for 2010 by the American Library Association (ALA). The ALA’s “Great Websites for Kids” online directory, www.ala.org/greatsites, showcases top quality educational kids’ websites, categorizing them by the core focus of their content material.

According towards the ALA, “Great Sites for Kids” are those “considered the very best net web sites for ages birth to 14, outstanding in both content and conception. As applied to internet sites for young men and women, ‘great’ should be believed to incorporate web sites of specially commendable quality, websites that reflect and encourage young people’s interests in exemplary ways.” The purpose of the ALA’s collection of Wonderful Web sites for Children is to “provide parents and kids with a resource for safe, educational net browsing.” Accordingly, the ALA’s choice committee makes use of detailed criteria when making their selections.

Amazing Kids! Founder and President Alyse Rome remarks: “We are honored and completely delighted to be selected by the ALA for this prestigious award within the globe of kids’ internet sites. I’m incredibly proud of our dedicated volunteer staff, comprised of both kids and adults alike, who devote countless hours operating to create the Amazing-Kids.org internet site and its Remarkable Youngsters! On the internet Magazine one of the very best, high quality internet sites for kids nowadays. The distinction of getting honored as one of the Leading 24 ‘Great Web sites for Kids’ is a great affirmation of their function, not to mention a genuinely fantastic incentive for all of us here at Incredible Kids! to continue to strive for excellence in every thing we do.”

Amazing Children! is one of just 5 sites showcasing kids’ writing listed below the category: “Writing by Children” inside the ALA’s Great Websites for Kids directory (www.ala.org/greatsites). Long recognized for its top quality educational content for children, the Amazing Children! website, amazing-kids.org includes the monthly on the internet publication, the Wonderful Children! Online Magazine, a showcase of children’s and teens inventive works such as writing, art, photography and videography. The award-winning publication is run by a volunteer editorial staff produced up entirely of kids and teens below the guidance of their adult mentor, Amazing Youngsters! founder Alyse Rome, with additional dedicated adult volunteers helping run the technical, administration and advertising and marketing sides of the web-based non-profit and its programs.

About Incredible Children!

Founded in 1998, Wonderful Kids! (http://amazing-kids.org) is really a children’s educational non-profit organization and award-winning site devoted to inspiring excellence in kids, although helping them to understand their amazing possible and launch their dreams. A recent recipient of the American Library Association’s Best 24 “Great Internet sites for Kids” for 2010, the Amazing Youngsters! website supports kids’ creativity and literacy through hosting ongoing inventive contests and publishing the award-winning, kid-created Incredible Kids! On the web Magazine.

Amazing Children! president Alyse Rome founded the educational website to give enriching educational experiences for children outside of the typical classroom atmosphere, as well as to give kids with access to inspiring stories (the “Amazing Youngsters! of the Month” stories) about their peers who are accomplishing incredible achievements. Alyse believes that all children have remarkable prospective, and dreams of a globe in which all children’s amazing gifts are supported, and their dreams realized. She believes the most effective way this could be achieved is through collaboration with others, including caring adult mentors, other non-profits and educational institutions, as well as sponsorship and support from well-respected, active corporate citizens and foundations who share Amazing Youngsters!’ long-held commitment to young children and their future. The organization encourages folks interested in understanding a lot more or supporting their function to reach out and connect by means of their site, amazing-kids.org and their Facebook and Twitter pages: amazingkids

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is oldest and largest organization for library professionals and supporters in the world. For far more than 130 years, the ALA has been a leader in promoting and creating library and data services via a broad-based program of legislative advocacy, professional education, publishing, awards and public awareness. The mission of the ALA is usually to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and info services as well as the profession of librarianship to be able to enhance studying and ensure access to information for all.

About the Association for Library Service to Children

The Association for Library Service to Young children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, may be the world’s largest organization devoted to the assistance and enhancement of library service to youngsters. With a network of a lot more than four,000 children’s and youth librarians, literature experts, publishers and educational faculty, ALSC is committed to producing a far better future for young children via libraries. To learn much more about ALSC, pay a visit to their site at www.ala.org/alsc.

About Wonderful Internet Websites for Kids

Great Web Internet sites for Youngsters, administered by the Association for Library Service to Young children, is an on-line resource containing hundreds of links to outstanding net internet sites for youngsters. Members of the ALSC Fantastic Internet Web sites for Children Committee assessment and evaluate prospective web sites for inclusion and routinely check the whole internet site to make sure currency and to reevaluate sites included. To have a look at Excellent Internet sites for Children, check out www.ala.org/greatsites.

ENCINITAS, CA, September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — The Grauer School will host the film screening of “Race to Nowhere”, an up-close look at America’s school method along with the pressures facing today’s students on Friday, October 1, 2010 at 7:00 pm at the school situated at 1500 South El Camino Actual in Encinitas. The documentary was produced and co-directed by Vicki Abeles, a concerned mother who reveals the truth behind the nation’s achievement-infatuated societal effect on school-age children. Students are burdened with the demand to turn out to be high achievers who excel in academics, extracurricular activities and community service, leaving small time for themselves of their families. School reform has become an urgent national issue in 2010 and also the film addresses this topic in a compelling format.

Race to Nowhere is really a plea to families, educators, specialists and policy makers to examine current assumptions on the best way to greatest prepare American youth for adulthood. “As a mother, I experienced the pressure firsthand and realized that nobody was talking about it,” says Vicki Abeles. “I saw youngsters who had been anxious, depressed, physically ill, checking out, abusing drugs and, worst case, attempting suicide. I felt compelled to speak out about this crisis by making a film and giving voice to the students, teachers, and parents. I wanted to expose a deeper truth about our education method. We are graduating a generation of robo-students, unable to think and work independently, creatively and collaboratively.”

The screening is going to be followed by a panel discussion featuring Jacqueline Rush, among the students highlighted inside the film, and Dr. Stuart Grauer, Head of School. A $10 donation is going to be accepted in the door or in advance at http://rtngrauerschool.eventbrite.com/. The Grauer School, founded in 1991, is a private, grades 6 -12 college preparatory school accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is renowned for its academic excellence, attracting $2.two million in scholarships for its 2010 18-member graduating class. To learn a lot more concerning the Grauer School encounter, or the continuing Speaker and Film series, check out www.grauerschool.com or call 760/944-6777.

September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — Rapid Intake (http://www.rapidintake.com), a leading provider of rapid interactive e-learning software, today announced the launch of its community-based extensions store known as the Rapid Intake Marketplace (http://www.rapidintake.com/marketplace). Rapid Intake users can begin sharing and selling plug-ins for Rapid Intake e-learning software. According to the widely adopted web standards of Adobe Flash and XML, Rapid Intake’s rapid e-learning solutions afford a faster way to build Flash-based on the web courses that are straightforward to build along with flexible and maintainable.

Rapid Intake e-learning software program, including its online collaborative course authoring software program, has long featured the ability to customize and extend its core capabilities employing the included Flash source code and SDK (software development kit). Even though novice users can take advantage of the easy-to-use form-based templates to swiftly build interactive course content, advanced users can take the included Flash source code (.FLA and .AS) and create custom user interfaces and build their own form-driven Flash-based interactive content that plugs right into the technique as if it were an original component of the software.

“Now, instead of constructing that understanding interaction you were thinking of from scratch, you may be able to uncover it already built by one of one’s peers,” says Garin Hess, Rapid Intake CEO. “You just uncover it within the Marketplace, download it, and it is possible to begin developing new interactivity in a matter of minutes.”

For example, if an instructional designer wanted to build an interaction in which the learner practices placing content in diverse categories, they could locate the Corkboard interaction. Within the Corkboard interaction, the learner drags post-it notes and tacks them onto the virtual corkboard below the correct category heading. Constructing such an interaction could take a Flash developer several days to build and test. Instead, e-learning developers, with or without Flash knowledge, can download the interaction and begin making use of it immediately.

“No other e-learning software is as flexible as Rapid Intake’s,” says Dan Longhouse, CEO of DIY eLearning along with a contributing developer to the Rapid Intake Marketplace. “There is really no limit to the types of interactions that can be plugged into their software program, making it extremely powerful.”

Using interactions built by other users can genuinely pay off. To hire a Flash developer to build any of these interactions would price into the thousands of dollars. Most interactions within the Marketplace sell for $50-$80. Some are even totally free.

“What the iPhone App Store did for smart phones, the Rapid Intake Marketplace will do for e-learning software,” says Steve Hancock, Rapid Intake President. “Combined with Rapid Intake’s easy-to-use course authoring software program, it revolutionizes how rapidly you’ll be able to build high quality e-learning courses.”

As of the launch date, the Marketplace contains the following understanding games and interactions:
- Pyramid
- Process Cycle
- Case Study
- Word Search
- Hangman Letter
- Tic-Tac-Toe
- Drop-down Buttons
- Timer
- Hangman Multiple Choice
- Spy Challenge Game
- Millionaire Challenge
- Flash Interactions Pack
- Corkboard
- Button Click Paper
- Matching
- Crossword Puzzle
- Memory
- Click to Reveal
- Step Identification
- Beat the Clock

You can try these interactions out for your self at the Rapid Intake Marketplace at http://www.rapidintake.com/marketplace.

Rapid Intake is the leader in rapid interactive e-learning development and assessment. Creating on the web self-paced courses saves companies millions of dollars in travel along with other costs whilst also delivering ‘always-on’ access towards the newest training. The powerful, flexible Rapid Intake toolset helps instructional designers and content owners collaboratively create Flash-based interactive courses, quizzes, games, and simulations built on proven understanding patterns.

Rapid Intake’s unmatched ‘UNLIMITED Program’ backs its award-winning software with innovative licensing and its best-in-class customer support. Hundreds of companies rely on Rapid Intake’s top-ranked technology and assistance to create a lot more interactive and effective courses in less time.

Rapid Intake. eLearning Tools Without Limits.

Contact:
Garin Hess
801-766-8387
garinhess@rapidintake.com
http://www.rapidintake.com

WEST BEND, WI, September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — Rachel M. Waymel, Graduate Student at Ohio University, has been recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who for demonstrating dedication, leadership and excellence in academia.

Pursuing a master’s degree in literature, Rachel M. Waymel is a graduate student at Ohio University, 1 of nation’s premier education institutions. There, she studies composition and early studies, and teaches the classes, English 151 and English 251. Ms. Waymel demonstrates a true passion for understanding and will seek to obtain her Ph.D. inside the coming years.

Ms. Waymel holds a bachelor’s degree in English, earned in 2008. A member of the Medieval Association of the Midwest, she presents at the organization’s annual conferences. She is also an active member of Sigma Tau Delta.

Ohio University boasts a lot more than 250 undergraduate programs and 16,738 undergraduate students on its Athens Campus. Recognized as a leader in education and student programs, Ohio University maintains a 19:1 student to faculty ratio with an average class size of 29. Ohio University has been cited for academic good quality and worth by such publications as U.S. News and World Report, America’s 100 Ideal College Buys, Princeton Review’s Best Colleges, and Peterson’s Guide to Competitive Colleges. For much more info on Ohio University, please go to http://www.ohio.edu.

BURKE, VA, September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — Wallace Johnson, Director of the Mentor-Protege Program and Deputy Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Program at George Mason University, has been named Cambridge Who’s Who Expert of the Year in Technical & Management Assistance. Although inclusion in the Cambridge Who’s Who Registry is an honor, only a modest selection of members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their specialist accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, years of service, and also the credentials they have provided in association with their Cambridge Who’s Who membership.

Wallace Johnson has enjoyed a varied 45-year career that spanned multiple industries, including education, organization management, logistics, strategic preparing, government procurement, and military weapon systems. He lends his multifarious talents to George Mason University, where he serves as director of the mentor-protege program and deputy director of the procurement technical assistance program. Thriving on his 16th year in these capacities, he is charged with supervising staff, collaborating with government agencies including the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, and coordinating with main prime contractors for example Northrup Grumman, Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Prior to venturing into academia, Mr. Johnson served inside the military, where he sharpened his abilities in acquisitions. He considers his deployments to Germany, Vietnam and Korea to have been the highlight of his long and distinguished career. Though retired from the service, Mr. Johnson continues his involvement in veterans affairs as a member of the Association of the United States Army, Disabled American Veterans, the Special Forces Association, and also the National Defense Business Association. Now operating for George Mason University, he is deeply proud to be associated with an institution that was lately deemed by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top emerging universities inside the United States. He attributes the success that he has located at various stages of his career to his educational background and relationship development skills.

Mr. Johnson received his master of company administration in 1973 from Alabama A&M University and his bachelor of education in 1961 from The University of Oklahoma. He currently sits on the board of directors of Rocks and is affiliated with the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association. He is listed inside the Wall of Fame of both Oklahoma City Public Schools and the Reserve Officers Training Corps Alumni of The University of Oklahoma. As he moves forward in his career, Mr. Johnson plans to increase his involvement in volunteer initiatives.

September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — It is back to school time, and this year 25.1 million kids will ride to school in 474,000 school buses inside the United States, based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Even though school buses are safer than other passenger vehicles, there are specific laws in location to prevent bus related accidents.

According to the NHTSA, between 1998 and 2008 there were 414,399 fatal motor vehicle crashes, of which only 0.34 percent were classified as school transportation related. Buses are safer than smaller passenger vehicles, due primarily to their size. Passengers and drivers in cars and trucks are probably the most likely to sustain injuries when in an accident having a bus. Of the 1,564 people that died from school transportation related accidents in between 1998 and 2008, 72 percent were occupants of other vehicles.

However, young children are also injured and killed in bus related accidents. NHTSA analysis shows 8 school bus passengers die and 8,000 are injured every single year. Of the injuries, 42 percent are sustained in crashes and 24 percent are sustained even though youngsters board or exit the bus.

Drivers need to be aware of the laws that apply even though driving in a school zone or near a school bus. School zones are marked locations surrounding schools having a reduced speed limit, usually 15 or 20 mph. Some school zones will have pedestrian crossings, and all drivers must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and obey any school crossing guards.

It is illegal to pass a school bus when the stop sign is extended and the red lights are flashing. These signs mean that youngsters are getting on or off the bus and will likely be in or near the street. Flashing yellow lights mean that the bus is preparing to stop and that all drivers ought to slow down.

Drivers should stop at least ten feet behind the school bus. If you’ll find less than four lanes of traffic, each directions of traffic need to stop. If you will find more than four lanes of traffic or if the road is divided only the traffic traveling in the very same direction as the bus need to stop.

Children and drivers need to be aware of buses’ danger zone. Due towards the size of a school bus, the bus driver cannot see every little thing within ten feet of the bus. Young children ought to be taught to always walk at least ten feet away from the bus in each direction and to always cross in front of the bus.

Driving cautiously and obeying the laws will assist to prevent devastating accidents.

September 30, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ — You’ll find 1.5 million young children transported on Pennsylvania roads each day, across more than 346 million miles annually, based on the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. And every year, youngsters are severely injured or killed by drivers disobeying Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law.

The law requires drivers to stop for any stopped school bus with red signal lights flashing when meeting or overtaking the bus on the road. Vehicles need to be stopped at least ten feet away from the bus and remain stopped until the red lights have stopped flashing and the stop arm has been withdrawn. Drivers on the opposite side of a highway from a stopped bus with flashing red lights and also the stop arm extended don’t need to stop if there are clearly defined dividing sections or physical barriers offering separate roadways.

The DMV reports that over 1,000 motorists do not obey the stopping law each year. Conviction of a violation of the School Bus Stopping Law results in:
- 60 day driver’s license suspension
- Five points on the driver’s driving record
- Fine inside the amount of $250

School Bus Safety

PR Newswire reports that school buses are the safest way to obtain to and from school, nearly 12 occasions safer than passenger vehicles. The Pennsylvania School Bus Association (PSBA) issued a Statement on Occupancy Protection in School Buses, in which it cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation confirming that compartmentalization works extremely nicely to protect school bus passengers. Compartmentalization is the occupant protection technique identified in today’s school buses.

The statement continues that NHTSA analysis identified that while lap and shoulder belts are the most effective form of occupant protection when properly used, the overall net could be a loss of safety, based on prospective negative consequences, which include:
- High expectation of misuse due to discomfort
- Possibility that the restraints will not fit the smallest passengers properly without the use of belt-positioning booster seats
- Higher risk of injury to unbelted passengers from the seats, which are modified to be stiffer and heavier
- The likelihood that school districts would offset the additional cost and loss of capacity of busses with safety restraints by reducing the number of students who are transported by school bus

With or without shoulder and lap belts, school buses are reportedly safer than any other present mode of transportation, including walking, riding a bicycle, or transportation by parents. The greatest danger bus riders face is getting on or off the bus, and dozens of kids suffer serious injuries each year in school bus-related pedestrian accidents.

It is estimated that in New York alone, school buses stopped to load or unload children are illegally passed 50,000 instances each and every day. Chuck Canterbury, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, reportedly said that law enforcement agencies across the nation are working with community leaders, schools and transportation groups to reduce school bus stop arm violations.

Those on the road ought to avoid distracted driving, especially on the morning and afternoon hours when buses are on the road. Students can also function to avoid accidents stemming from stop arm violations by paying attention, listening and looking each approaches before getting on or off the bus or crossing the street. Another safety measure is to avoid “distracted walking,” which might be caused by hooded shirts or sweatshirts that block full vision and headphones that drown out traffic sounds.

Van Safety

In contrast towards the relative safety of school bus transportation, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety indicates that from 2004 to 2008, the death rate for occupants of 15-passenger vans was 175 deaths per million registered users; this was higher than for other passenger vehicle types combined. In fact, the NHTSA recommends that preschool and school-age kids not be transported in 15-passenger vans.

Fifteen-passenger vans have a high center of gravity, which is actually raised by adding passengers towards the vehicle, creating it a lot more difficult to handle and less stable. Based on a NHTSA study, the odds of rollover for a 15-passenger van increased by more than 400 percent when fully loaded. Other factors that play a role incorporate tire pressure, knowledge of the driver, and seat belt use.

Parents of youngsters who have been injured by a driver who committed a stop arm violation or hurt in a bus or van accident ought to get in touch with a personal injury attorney. A lawyer can explain the accessible options and, if advisable, proceed having a demand for compensation.