Washington D.C. / Toledo, Ohio
On Monday, November 15, 2021, the President signed into law:
H.R. 3684, the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” (Formerly known as the New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America Act or the INVEST in America Act) better known as the “BIF”. This new Federal law includes technology from Toledo, Ohio with the Gardian Angel School Bus Lighting System by Gardian Angel, LLC.
The $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill was a signature part of President Joe Biden's economic agenda which authorizes funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes. Among other provisions, the law under Title IV – Highway and Motor Vehicle Safety - Sec. 24110 states the review of laws, safety measures, and technologies relating to school buses.
Located on page 383 of the enrolled 1,039 page historical document shown above in the link, the newly signed Federal law further states, “not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall review and evaluate the effectiveness of various technologies for enhancing school bus safety, including technologies such as--
(A) cameras;
(B) audible warning systems; and
(C) enhanced lighting”
The enhanced lighting mentioned above includes Gardian Angel, LLC’s patented school bus lighting system which is already available in half of the United States as available optional school bus equipment.
The Federal law signed by President Biden continues that the Secretary’s “review shall include--
(iii) an assessment of the effectiveness of school bus lighting systems at clearly communicating to surrounding drivers the appropriate actions those drivers should take,”… The law continues, “the Secretary shall make the findings of the review publicly available on the website of the Department.”
Founder and inventor, Steve Gardner and his son, Andrew Gardner, are celebrating this monumental historical victory for public safety. The two men have worked tirelessly since a fatal illegal school bus passing crash that occurred in 2010 that caused the invention of this life-saving device as a proactive prevention measure for the pedestrians that load and disembark the school bus particularly in dark early morning hours as to keep surrounding drivers aware of the now visible students that were previously invisible to motorists. The Gardners have been proving their technology across the county, and accumulating credibility among leading transportation officials, committees, federal documents, and legislatures throughout the years.
Gardian Angel is an exterior lighting system that easily attaches to a school bus. The system delivers the most advanced technologies to combat stop-arm violations and minimizes the public safety risks to students who rely on school transportation. This approved option in 25 states also raises the bar for the current state construction standards, as well as exceeds the current federal standards.
This school bus safety feature is meant to reduce the rates of illegally passing incidents, as well as to help the driver see better in the dark. It decreases the unloading and loading zone injuries and/or fatalities, and aids in the prevention of possible collisions and school bus accidents. With the Gardian Angel, drivers can clearly see the students in darkness. The pedestrians have a lit path walking towards the bus. Traffic in front of the bus and behind the bus can also clearly see pedestrians walking towards the school bus in darkness. This is all possible because of the 1,000-lumen white LED floodlight which shines out the side of the front of the bus. The safety feature is aimed at the ground, automatically turns on when the red lights are activated, and turns off when the entrance door of the bus is closed.
Gardian Angel, LLC thanks the 46th POTUS Joe Biden, VP Kamala Harris, the Bipartisan members who helped write and pass the bill in both chambers of the House and Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Peter DeFazio, the National Transportation Safety Board for their phenomenal efforts in their investigation findings and recommendations particularly (H-20-11 which was addressed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) involving the 2018 Rochester, Indiana vehicle collision with student pedestrians crossing high-speed roadway to board school bus, and the 25 states that have already seen the light by allowing this lighting system to better keep children safer as they board the school bus. Gardian Angel, LLC is thrilled to be working with Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his team at the United States Department of Transportation and maybe Gardian Angel, LLC’s friends over at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the next few years. Things are looking brighter already for the school bus industry and pedestrian safety!
Gardian Angel, LLC reminds customers to check with state requirements for specific mounting locations, since they may vary. School districts in the following 25 states can purchase the Gardian Angel lighting system for their bus fleets: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
For more information, go to www.gardianangelllc.com and be sure to like Gardian Angel, LLC on Facebook.
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