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Policy

Head Start of Lane County will follow the School Bus Accident Procedure to ensure the safety of children, staff, and volunteers.

Procedure

  1. When the call comes in from the bus driver, the Transportation Manager or designee will evaluate how serious it is and possibly who was at fault and be sure to check on status of individuals.If the driver is incapacitated, any Head Start staff person on the trip should call into the main office. If that is not possible, the local police department will notify the main office.
  2. If minor damage to either vehicle occurs, such as bumping a car in a parking lot, make sure the drivers exchange information and that the Head Start driver reports to the Transportation Manager or designee at the main office for the DMV and ODE accident forms ASAP.
  3. If the damage is more serious and/or Head Start may be at fault, have the driver call the local police department. The drivers need to exchange information and our driver must have a list of all passengers on the bus at the time of the accident. The Head Start driver should report to the Transportation Manager or designee at the main office for the DMV and ODE accident reports ASAP.
  4. If there are any injuries to staff, parents, volunteers, or children the driver will call 911 immediately. The Human Resource Manager will be the contact for insurance forms and procedures.
  5. If any of the following things happen in any accident, the Head Start driver needs to report immediately for a post-accident drug test. The driver should never drive her or himself for this testing. The Transportation Manager or designee needs to drive her/him to the lab. The lab we use is McKenzie-Willamette Hospital in Springfield.
    1. A fatality.
    2. The Head Start driver receives a citation for a moving violation in connection with an injury where someone is taken to the hospital via ambulance.
    3. The Head Start driver receives a citation for a moving violation in connection with one of the involved vehicle being towed away from the accident scene.
  6. The Transportation Manager or designee will:
    1. Go to the scene if things do not seem to be going well for the driver or if the driver is unable to function and is unable to exchange information or gather information. There is a accident kit in the Transportation Manager’s office with a clip board, flashlight, tape measure, paper, pencils, and accident report forms.
    2. Make arrangements, if needed,for a substitute bus to go to the scene and transport the children either home or back to school, whichever seems appropriate.
    3. Notify our insurance agent immediately: Chris Willhite, Willhite & Associates, LLC, Springfield, 541-746-0878.
    4. Notify the Regional Manager,Operations Director, Health/Nutrition Consultant, appropriate Direct Service Staff,and Executive Director.
    5. Make sure that the appropriate Direct Service Staff notifies each child’s parent, either by phone or memo.
  7. Avoid news media. If anyone calls from a radio or television station refer them to the Executive Director, Operations Director, or Regional Manager, in that order, only. If none of them are available, ask the media representative to call back or we will contact the media representative.
  8. If the Transportation Manager is not available, the designee order will be Operations Director, Regional Manager, and/or Executive Director.

This policy was approved by Policy Council on December 10, 2002

This meets Performance Standard 1303.70 (3)

Updated November 7, 2002

© Head Start of Lane County. All rights reserved.

REVIEWED: December 2020