Island entrepreneurs pitch product to stop drivers passing stopped school buses

Two Island entrepreneurs were in Charlottetown on Thursday to present to thestanding committee on infrastructure and energy about their invention, which aims to help keep students safe when crossing the roads gettingon and off of school buses.

They call it a highway safetypreventionbar a pole that can extend off the back of the bus with flashing lights and a camera to try and ensure motorists stop for the students crossing.

"With a driver making an illegal pass like that, they have the protection of airbag, seatbelts, steel frame around them where a child has nothing," saidDanMacDonald withMacWorthIndustries.

"If we can give one ounce of protection to our children on these highways, it's worth every penny and we're just trying to solve that problem happening here on P.E.I."

MacDonald and Wayne Ellsworthhave been working on the concept since 2016.

Ellsworthnoticed a number of drivers illegally pass stopped buses and the two began working on a possible solution.

"That was where we came up with a barrier, a physical bar that would extend across the highways and capture a pictureand a video of the person passing by and also blocking any illegal passing that may take place," MacDonaldsaid.

It mounts onto the back bumperof the school bus and a plastic bar canextend out more than twometres (sixfeet).

The pole contains flashing LED lights andwould also havean integrated camera system installed inside.

There are different types of video recording and MacDonald says the video could be paused at individual frames to pinpoint exact moments when drivers pass the buses illegally.

"Ours is on the back of the bumper and that is a lot of where the danger zones are, people passing from behind," MacDonaldsaid.

"So to have an arm that extends out and barricades that road so that people will not pass, or make them think twice before passing a school bus, especiallyif they are on tape, especiallyif we have a picture of them and especially if they are going to put some damage to their car."

MacDonald says it would be plastic and deflect so that damage to vehicles that pass illegally would be minimal.

The legislative committee heard from people from across the Island and discussed various approaches being considered from requiring front licence plates on P.E.I. vehiclesto imposing harsher penaltieslike roadside licence suspensions.

MacDonald said their product could be pilot project ready in three months and estimates they would cost around $5,000 per unit.

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With files from Steve Bruce