When you see a school bus on the road, its underside will be lined with chains. But why? Well, as it turns out, there’s a significant reason to keep those chains down there. Protection has always been one of the main purposes of school buses.
The chain lined along the bottom of the bus is additional protection from our ever-growing world of harsh realities. Here are the reasons for chains on the bottom of the school buses:
Table of Contents
1. Act as Restrains to Help Prevent Loss of Control
The school bus chassis is developed with a high center of gravity. That means it’s easy for the front and back to lose grip as the bus rolls over. It is where the chains come in handy. They act as restraints to prevent this from happening.
When those heavy vehicles turn and roll, it tends to throw the cars out of control. As the chains become tighter, their effect will increase. It prevents potential loss of control and accidents in these cases.
2. The Chains Help with Emergency Brakes
In emergency brakes and hard braking, the chains help with that. As the bus hits the breaking area, the tires will get stuck between the two rails of chains. It means that it will slide down along those rails.
When breaking, the chains will help the bus to stop faster. It’s like if you were to take a rope and throw it onto a smooth surface with your hand. The chains react the same way as the rope when it gets stuck on a smooth surface.
3. Prevent Backing Up on Hills
The primary purpose of the chains is to prevent accidents. There are many times when vehicles will reverse in the street. It is to back up for a turn or exit from a parking lot. But there have been cases when the driver has accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of applying brakes.
As vehicles move forward, they may not be able to stop, and they could crash into an adjacent object or another vehicle. It can cause a lot of damage and put the other object at risk of being hit.
4. Prevent Accidents with Forwarding Braking
School buses tend to catch air while braking. The rims of their tires lose traction when they push too hard against the road surface. The chains act as protection against accidents.
When the brakes are pushed to their limit, the chains will receive a lot of pressure. It will help apply an abrupt stop that prevents the bus from skidding or going off the road.
5. Keep Bus Steering in Control and Direct
The chains act as a brake while accelerating too fast or when turning too quickly. It can easily cause skidding and keep control and direction in line.
It prevents tipping over as well as bumping into other vehicles. It helps the chains to line up with the rails, giving more support to the entire structure.
6. Chains Are a Safety Device
School buses are a mode of transportation in most communities. There is a huge responsibility on their drivers and those driving them. It is why so many chains are involved while being driven.
They are safety devices on slippery surfaces to keep them secure and stable during sudden stops or braking. They absorb the impact of the weight of the bus, keeping it stable and avoiding crashes.
Conclusion
Safety is what we all want. And chains on school buses are a big part of that. They are a tool to keep health and safety in mind while driving school buses. Accidents would be much more likely if these chains weren’t in place.
Therefore, chains are a necessity while driving school buses. Chains kept the bus stable and prevented damage to what was behind the bus. They kept it safe and secure during abrupt braking and turned corners safely.