A road safety campaigner from the North East of England is pushing for a new safety device to be fitted on all school vehicles. The grandfather from Gardenstown has been campaigning for greater safety on school vehicles after his granddaughter Erin was left paralysed after been struck by a car in 2004.

One local authority in England is already carrying out trails on the new device which is designed to make school buses more visible and to alert other motorists and pedestrians to the presence of the vehicle and children leaving the bus.

Currently all school buses display a yellow sign which marks it out as a school vehicle. However it has been criticised for is ineffectiveness with many complaining that it has little impact, which is why the new re-vamped sign was called for.

The new school bus sign which will be displayed on the front and back of the vehicles, lights up and flashes every time the bus door is opened to signal to passing motorists that the passengers are disembarking. It has been taken up by East Riding of Yorkshire Council have been experimenting with the device on their school coaches. Council officials have praised the simple yet effective gadget and say it could potentially be drafted out throughout the whole of the UK in the future.

Safety for school buses was stepped up last year in this area of the North East after the death of two school children who were hit by cars shortly after leaving their school bus. It is hoped that these new measures will go some way to safeguarding children who travel on school transport.