Which car seat for the school bus

Jenny

New member
My kids drive over 20 miles each way on the school bus on windy NY country roads. The school bus only has lap belts and last yr they gave my DD a cosco car seat to ride in. I asked for a seat that goes up to 50 lbs for her this yr and they said that I have to supply my own -- which to me is GREAT NEWS. exept that I don't know which ones to give them (or purchase)...

SO I have 2 MAs (in our dark denim one she seems to be above the top slots and in our race car print one she seems to be at the second to top slots -- and my son totally still fits)

I have 2 GN as well, and 2 radians (which my mom really wants to keep in her car so scratch those from the table).

Stats: DS is 42" and weight is 37 lbs (kindergarten). DD is 45" and wt is 44 -45 lbs (first grade).

DD is very concerned about being in a baby seat, and would prob push for just the lap belt. (I know all the stats say school bus riding is safe) but I have no stats for this exact school bus on our crazy twisty 55 mph road vs mom's xc90 on the crazy twisty road! And to think if one child is safer than the other....

Any preferences? Thanks for any and all input -- Jenny
 
ADS

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
I am fine with no car seats on a bus. They really are safe. I would try the Nautilus on the bus. Oh, maybe not. You need to make sure the whole Nautilus base fits ON the seat.


What I wonder is how long the belts stalks are. That has been my issue with bus belts.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
Now remember all buses are different and the bus barn whatever orders the seat belts they think they need and usually they don't know what the need. But anyway, here is a pic of my radian in a bus.


Radian.jpg


Radian5.jpg


You can see that the radian barely fits. I doubt a Nauti would have, on this bus.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I agree, they're eight times safer on the bus without a restraint than they are driving to school in your car.

Are they on a special bus? When I was in school the buses would be used for multiple runs and for field trips and other things during the day. If you left something on the bus it was gone by the time you got back. Would their seats remain installed, or would the driver be responsible for reinstalling them every day?

Wendy
 

Jenny

New member
we are a very small school district -- they are on the designated bus that leaves the district for the private schools (it is a smaller bus but still a bus). THe bus garage installed dd seat last year but I would check it - and had to make adjustments -- but unless the bus was in the shop, they left it installed.


OMG Judi -- NO WAY would a nautilus install on their bus seats! Thanks for those pics.


I had an idea at 3 am -- what about those harness type things that retrofit the lap belt??

Do they still make them?
Jenny
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
What about a pair of Maestros? Nice high top slots, 50# weight limit, relatively inexpensive. And they don't have the "base must be 100% on the seat" rule that the Nautilus has.

Plus they look like a booster, which your DD may appreciate.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I had an idea at 3 am -- what about those harness type things that retrofit the lap belt??

Do they still make them?
Jenny

They require a top tether.

I still think I'd do nothing at all. I really do. Piper's never ridden on a school bus, but that's for other reasons (they don't offer busing, and I don't want her learning things from the high schoolers on the back). I have no doubt of their safety and I would wave her off if it was an elementary bus only and feel content.

Wendy
 

Starlight

Senior Community Member
My son rides in one of the Safeguard Star seats that Judi shows just above - but he's 4 and 33 lbs, and has special needs. I would not put him in a seat if he was older.
 

Jenny

New member
Update

I spoke with the bus garage, and they will see if they can order the stars from their distributor (as long as I can give a check to prepay them).

of not I may look at the maestro -- at least for my now 37 lb 5 year old.
FOr me I just don't feel comfortable with a lap belt only. I know the statistics say otherwise (which don't include crashes on trips, to sporting events, etc).

I guess I compare it to the difference btwn an airplane and a car crash. Airplanes don't crash very often but when they do their is a low chance of survival.

A serious bus crash with unrestrained kids is also a recipe for tragedy. Most likely won't happen but if it did...

THank you for all of your help -- and cool pictures too! Jenny
 

twinsmom

New member
My kids drive over 20 miles each way on the school bus on windy NY country roads. The school bus only has lap belts and last yr they gave my DD a cosco car seat to ride in. I asked for a seat that goes up to 50 lbs for her this yr and they said that I have to supply my own -- which to me is GREAT NEWS. exept that I don't know which ones to give them (or purchase)...

SO I have 2 MAs (in our dark denim one she seems to be above the top slots and in our race car print one she seems to be at the second to top slots -- and my son totally still fits)

I have 2 GN as well, and 2 radians (which my mom really wants to keep in her car so scratch those from the table).

Stats: DS is 42" and weight is 37 lbs (kindergarten). DD is 45" and wt is 44 -45 lbs (first grade).

DD is very concerned about being in a baby seat, and would prob push for just the lap belt. (I know all the stats say school bus riding is safe) but I have no stats for this exact school bus on our crazy twisty 55 mph road vs mom's xc90 on the crazy twisty road! And to think if one child is safer than the other....

Any preferences? Thanks for any and all input -- Jenny

I remember reading and seeing a video saying that you are better off with NO belt than with lap belt only on a bus. No belt allows the whole body to move forward in a crash and into the seat in front, whereas a lapbelt allows only the torso to move forward, and the head/neck hit the seat in front at angle. So, if you can't get a carseat or harness for the bus, I might research this a little further - maybe one of the techs knows the link to the video/information? I would not put them in a lap belt only.
 

TerisBoys

Well-known member
I remember reading and seeing a video saying that you are better off with NO belt than with lap belt only on a bus. No belt allows the whole body to move forward in a crash and into the seat in front, whereas a lapbelt allows only the torso to move forward, and the head/neck hit the seat in front at angle. So, if you can't get a carseat or harness for the bus, I might research this a little further - maybe one of the techs knows the link to the video/information? I would not put them in a lap belt only.

Per the quote below, (found here) NY (where OP is) requires seat belts to be unstalled on all buses, and car seats for all kids under 4. They leave the actual use up to the district.

What is the law regarding seat belt use on school buses?

New York State's school bus seat belt law requires all school buses manufactured after July 1, 1987 to be equipped with seat belts. New York State does not currently mandate seat belt use on school buses, but rather, leaves the a decision to each school district.

If you are unsure whether or not the use of seat belts on school buses is mandated by your locality, check with you school board.

Are children under the age of four required to be restrained in a car seat while riding on a school bus?

Yes. The law states that children under the age of four must be restrained in a federally approved car seat while riding on a school bus [Section 1229-c(11), NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law].
 

Jenny

New member
Twinsmom and Terisboys -- thanks for the info. I am quite leery about a lap belt only as well. It may be safe bec. statistically speaking it is very unlikely they will be in an accident but it is not best practice.

I did see some research for lap belt vs not, and the bottom line is that it depends on the type of crash. For frontal, compartmentalization seems to be best. For side impact, there is no real compartmentalization and for roll overs, any belt is better than none. So that is unpredictable.

At some point, though the kids are going to be too old for this and they will have to sit on the school bus like every other kid, and then some day, I will have to let them drive
so, what really has to change is that mom (me;) ) will need to deal with the fact that I can't 5 pt harness them forever:whistle:
 
B

BB@BCPS

Guest
Do you use the tether strap on the bus?













Now remember all buses are different and the bus barn whatever orders the seat belts they think they need and usually they don't know what the need. But anyway, here is a pic of my radian in a bus.


Radian.jpg


Radian5.jpg


You can see that the radian barely fits. I doubt a Nauti would have, on this bus.
 

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