Should all school buses be equipped with seatbelts?
I’m sure, by now, you’ve already heard the story about the Prince George’s County school bus that flipped on its side Wednesday morning when the driver made a fast turn. The driver and five children were injured as a result.
All 44 students onboard were taken to area hospitals for precautionary evaluations.
While I’m glad there were no fatalities, I am concerned with the recklessness of the driver. (He’s been charged with taking the turn at a "speed greater than reasonable," police said.)
I’m also wondering whether there were seatbelts on the bus. (Both articles did not reveal this.) A little-known reality is that some school buses are not equipped with seatbelts.
Should all school buses be equipped with seatbelts? And, should students then be required to wear seatbelts?
Categories: Around the Region, School Safety (Or Lack Thereof)
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School buses are quite possibly the safest vehicles on the road. And short of reckless driving by a rogue driver, school bus operators are extremely professional and safe drivers. It is for this reason, as well as the sheer uselessness of seat belts on a school bus, that I would vehemently argue against seat belts on buses.
School bus seats are designed to protect children in the case of an accident. Other than a bus tumbling over (again, a ridiculously rare occurrence) the seats are best equipped to protect a child WITHOUT use of a seatbelt. In fact, if only lap belts are installed, a child is in MORE danger during a head on collision.
Seat belts on a bus would also impede a timely evacuation of the bus if an emergency arises.
When the California Legislature voted to require seat belts on all school buses, various school districts, including the one I attended (and rode a school bus for six years) scurried to purchase new buses for their fleets before the law kicked in. It turns out...and studies support this statement - seat belts, while imperative in cars and other vehicles, actually create a higher risk for injury to a child in a school bus.
Posted by: Artie | February 27, 2008 11:35 PM
I AM A PARENT OF TWO AND HAVE MANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE RECENT SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS BEING AS THOUGH BOTH MY KIDS RIDE THE SCHOOL BUS EVERYDAY TO AND FROM SCHOOL. IF KIDS ARE MORE AT RISK WITH THE SEAT BELTS ON THE BUSES THEN I DISAGREE WITH IT BEING A REQUIREMENT TO HAVE SEAT BELTS ON THE BUSES. IF THEY ARE MUCH SAFER WITHOUT THEM THEN PLEASE DON'T TRY AND FIX WHAT IS NOT BROKEN. THANKS YOU!!
Posted by: JELONDIA CARTER | February 28, 2008 9:06 AM
If it's safer, by all means, put belts on the bus, and enforce their use.
If Artie is correct, however, it would seem frivilous, short of a major change in how busses are conceived and created.
Posted by: steegness | February 28, 2008 9:58 AM
About 10 years ago (or thereabouts) I was on a committee to investigate this matter. We concluded, after reviewing studies, etc. that it was safer to NOT have seat belts.
1. Lap belts,especially for children, are dangerous: they cause severe internal injuries if not used along with a shoulder harness.
2. It would be very, very expensive to retrofit busses with shoulder harness/lap belt combinations.
3. The higher padded seatback provides protection in an accident; it essentially provides a padded "box" to help protect the passenger.
4. Evacuation: smaller children in particular would be unable to release the seat belt by themselves.
Posted by: Susan | February 29, 2008 3:13 PM