Plastic Shield Can Save Children's Lives: Lifesaving School Bus Body Modification Now Available

The "danger zone" refers to the area extending 10 feet to the front, rear, and side of the school bus, where children are at most risk of being hit by passing vehicles--or even being run over by their own bus. There have been over 55 tragic child fatalities (not including serious or catastrophic injury) due to the right, rear danger zone over the past 10 years, an area in which the U.S. Department of Transportation notes the highest number of fatalities. Barron was stunned that there had not yet been a resolution.

"The majority of school buses have a rocker panel sitting approximately 2 feet from the ground, so the S-1 GARD (www.s1gard.com) used for transit buses would be cost prohibitive due to the heavy mounting brackets...yet the risk of exposure on a school bus is worse because of its height. I was consumed with guilt for not figuring this out earlier," said Barron, inventor of the device. "This is finally a solution where children's lives can be saved at minimal cost."

The MDZ SHIELD (www.mdzshield.com) is an inexpensive, one piece BASF polyurethane guard that acts as a safety shield in front of the dual rear wheels, and is easily and quickly mounted to the side panel of the bus. This lessens both material and labor costs, while making it easily visible for bus operator's inspection.

Our mission at PTS is to serve as a catalyst for positive safety changes. PTS was founded in 1993 and has been successfully selling the S-1 GARD Dangerzone Deflector, a physical barrier covering the right rear tires, to the mass transit industry. Since mid-2010, PTS and manufacturer Pacific Metal Fab (PMF) have been looking to schedule a meeting with a school bus OEM to make the MDZ SHIELD an industry mandated safety product. PTS and PMF understand that school bus OEMs are not interested in adding cost to new bus orders due to low bid; therefore, we have offered to pay all tooling and hard costs related to the product for the OEM's competitive edge. Since bus builders are able to manufacture the body modification, PTS believes this will be more effective than selling the product traditionally to school districts as an aftermarket part, which in the past has proven too costly due to budget restraints.