A tragedy in 2003 could result in safer school buses under a bill that passed both houses of the state legislature and is awaiting Gov. Christie's signature.
A bill, known as Abigail's Law, if signed by the Governor, would require motion sensors on the front and back of new school buses for safety. TRENTON -- A tragedy in 2003 could result in safer school buses under a bill that passed both houses of the state legislature and is awaiting Gov. Christie's signature.
The legislation, called "Abigail's Law" by its sponsors, would require newly-manufactured school buses to have motion sensors in the front and back that could detect persons or objects passing in front or behind the bus.
Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), one of the bill's sponsors, said the legislation is named for the 2-year-old daughter of Middlesex County First Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Kuberiet who was killed in 2003 when, unbeknownst to her mother, she followed her mother outside and stood in front of a stopped school bus in South Plainfield.
Diegnan and Mosquera on 'Abigail's Law:' Improving School Bus Safety in New Jersey (A-1455) from NJ Assembly Democratic Office on Vimeo.
The driver was unable to see the child from the driver's seat and began to move forward, striking the toddler, according to Diegnan.
"The use of available technology will facilitate safe driving and prevent fatal accidents," said Diegnan. "When an alarm sounds if a child is in the vicinity of the bus, the operator will immediately be made aware of the situation and will not move forward, and a life will be saved."
Diegnan said children are more likely to be killed as pedestrians outside a school bus and most often by their own school bus, according to the National Coalition of School Bus Safety. He said the majority of the accidents involve very young children.
He said he first introduced legislation to put sensors on buses a year after Abigail's death, but it didn't go anywhere.
"It has taken a long time to get through the legislature," said Diegnan, who represented to Kuberiets in November in front of the Assembly Education Committee at the bill's hearing. "The type of technology needed was only in its infancy at that time. Now, it's real. It isn't science fiction. It's on every car."
The assemblyman said the legislation had the support of the school bus industry and school boards as well.
The state Senate gave final approval to the bill Thursday by a vote of 38-0 and the legislation was sent to Gov. Christie for his signature.
Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
