School busses safe at what age?

U

Unregistered

Guest
DD is starting in a preschool next fall, she will be 3. They occasionally have field trips where they go on a school bus. I thought I was fine with her riding in one as I have read here how safe school busses are but I just noticed a tech mentioning how they are not safe for 2.5 year old. At what age you would let your child ride in an school bus?
 
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babyherder

Well-known member
School buses are generally safe for children who will sit correctly in them. Compartmentalization works well. But only for children who are in the seat (or compartment) at the time of impact. Older children (above 5 or 6 I think) have a more developed bone structure so can withstand more and are safer. So, when your child is ready to sit still, facing forward, in a seat for as long as she is verbally directed to and gains a few years bone maturity she'll be safe on the bus.

If the children are harnessed or in appropriate car seats on the bus it is safe for them at any age.
 

JennG

New member
I have a son that will be 5.5 when he starts school in September. He currently is about 34 bs. School busses are made to keep children 40lbs and up safe. Since Willem is smaller, and provincial law dictates that children under 40lb need to be harnessed, he will be in a 5 pt harness on the bus. Our new school busses have built in 5 pt seats in the first two seats, and if it ends up that they have an older bus on his route, they will have to retro fit a bus with the bench seat that has the harnesses.

I would check your local laws to see if they have to provide proper seating for young children on a bus. :)


Jenn
 

Evolily

New member
For a child under kindergarten age the guidelines recommend harnessing/car seats on the bus (there are special harnesses designed for school buses that function like car seats). They do so because compartmentalization doesn't work as well for little kids, and because little ones often lack the maturity to sit correctly. You can call the district or bus company and request a harness.

Having said this, I just put my brothers (almost 4 and 5 y/o) on a school bus, unharnessed, and have done so for over a year. I would like them harnessed but mom doesn't think it's important. Even unharnessed I believe they are very, very safe on the bus. Just not as safe as they could and should be, but still safe.
 

hipmaman

Moderator - CPST Instructor
It's probably my post on the other thread you refer to.

I have no issue with children that are older and mature enough to sit properly on the school bus bench so that one of the safety feature of the school bus - compartmentalization, would work. This often means children older than 4-5 yrs old.

I don't feel that my 31 mos old toddler who is 28-29 lbs should be unharnessed on a school bus, kwim? But if the buses involved were the newer type with integrated harness seats, then I would send her on the field trip in one of the harnessed seats :)

Btw, I have 2 school-age children that have been riding the bus since they were 6 yrs old. So 5 yrs now for the oldest and 3 for the younger one. Our French Immersion starts in grade one and the children get bused then. Before Grade 1, they go to 'home' school and that often is a walk-to school. I felt fine when they started and they had orientation sessions to tell them what to do and how to sit, etc. on a bus.
 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
I was taught in my tech class that a school bus is safe for the average first grader. It's designed to protect kids that size, and they need to be able to sit properly.
 

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