OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – The Osceola County School District is taking proactive steps to reduce accidents involving school buses and their blind spots. Recognizing the risks children face when boarding and exiting buses, the district is partnering with Smart Radar System, a Korean company specializing in pedestrian detection technology.
The new system uses advanced sensors to monitor blind spots around the bus and also scans the interior to ensure no students are left behind after routes are completed. Randy Wheeler, Director of Transportation for the district, explained that this system addresses a common issue where small children may fall asleep and remain unnoticed on the bus.
“Their system also scans the interior of the bus to ensure we don’t inadvertently leave a student on the bus after it shuts down,” Wheeler said. “Little ones fall asleep and slide between seats, which can easily go unnoticed. This product is just now entering production, and we are working on implementing it. Due to costs, we cannot equip all buses at once.”
The technology is estimated to cost about $5,000 per bus, with plans to have at least one bus equipped by winter break.
This initiative marks a significant step toward improving safety measures for school transportation in Osceola County, focusing on the well-being of its youngest community members.