The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) have been concerned for some time about the safety of vehicles used in daycare transportation.  Both NTSB and NHTSA have stated repeatedly that it would be preferable for daycare providers to utilize vehicles which conform to Federal school bus standards.

On April 21, 2004, the NTSB issued a Safety Recommendation following an extensive investigation of an April 4, 2002, accident in Memphis, Tennessee, involving a 15 passenger van operated by the Tippy Toes Learning Academy, a private child care center.  The van was transporting 6 children at the time of the accident.  The driver and four of the children sustained fatal injuries.  Two children were seriously injured.

The NTSB determined "that the probable cause of this accident was the absence of oversight by Tippy Toes Learning Academy and the drivers inability to maintain control of his vehicle because he fell asleep, quite likely due to an undiagnosed sleep disorder; the driver's marijuana use may also have had a role in the accident."

The Safety Board recommended to the 50 states and the District of Columbia that "Based on the circumstances of this and other accidents, the Safety Board believes that child care transportation oversight agencies in the States and the District of Columbia should implement a comprehensive oversight program for child care transportation.  Therefore, the Safety Board recommends that the State and District of Columbia child care transportation oversight agencies:

       Implement an oversight program for child care transportation that includes the following elements:

• Use of vehicles built to school bus standards or of multifunction school activity buses; (H-08-8)
• A regular vehicle maintenance and inspection program; (H-04-9)
• A requirement that occupants wear age-appropriate restraints at all times; (H-04-10)
• A requirement that drivers receive a criminal background check and have a medical examination to determine fitness to drive; (H-04-11)
• Preemployment, random, post accident, and "for cause" drug testing for all child care transportation providers and the prohibition of anyone who tests positive for drugs from transporting children; (H-04-12)
• Review by an oversight agency of periodic driver background checks, medical examinations, and drug test results; (H-04-13)
• A requirement that child care vehicles be labeled with the child care center's name and oversight agency's names and phone numbers. (H-04-14)

 H04_8_14.pdf   The April 21, 2004, NTSB recommendations to the 50 states and the District of Columbia for major changes in child care (daycare) transportation.