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Session:
State Capitol, Room 110 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-4859 Fax: (907) 465-3799 Send E-Mail |
School Bus Safety Equipment
An Act relating to school buses.
Posted: February 22, 2000
Contact: Representative John Harris, at (907) 465-4859.
House Bill 216 makes a small change in current statute that will allow school bus operators to equip their buses with stop arms employing the most current available technology.
Under present law, the stop arms must use "two red strobe lights with alternating flashes." But stop arms are now available that use red lights to light up the word "STOP." Anecdotally, these new devises appear to be more effective in alerting and stopping approaching drivers, but are not legal to be used under the language of AS 28.05.104(b).
HB 216 rectifies the problem by deleting the requirements for "two red strobe lights with alternating flashes", and specifies instead that the stop arm must include "warning lights." This should accommodate future technological advances as well.