WHy don't school buses have seatbelts?

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michele12

New member

• Aug 23, 2007

• #1

I posted this question on another forum, but thought I would ask here since there is so much information here.

DD does not go to kindergarten until next year, but a lot of the kids on the block are starting now so she is hearing all about the bus from them. She is terrified at the idea of no seatbelts and doesn't want to ride the bus. (she has anxiety about this stuff in general). Obviously she a has a full year to warm up to the bus idea, but I don't know how comfortable I am with that. I still have her 5 pt. harnessed, so she doesn't get how come you have to be in a car seat in a car and nothing on a bus. I don't either. Now I get that not every kid will be harnessed or in a booster on a bus, but why the no seatbelts. Am I missing something?

Where do I start in inquiring? School board? School traffic office? Administration? Not even worth trying to tackle?

Thoughts?

 

Connor's Mom

New member

• Aug 23, 2007

• #2

Here is a recent thread where this subject was talked about at great length: School Bus Safety???

 

crunchierthanthou

New member

• Aug 23, 2007

• #3

School buses are one of the safest modes of transportation available. They work on a principle called compartmentalization. The seats are designed to certain criteria and placed within specific intervals.

Here's a recent thread about them.


eta: Connor'smom is a quicker search and linker.

 

Connor's Mom

New member

• Aug 23, 2007

• #4

crunchierthanthou said:

eta: Connor'smom is a quicker search and linker.

Click to expand...

I only remembered this thread because it became quite heated.

 

MomToEliEm

Moderator

• Aug 23, 2007

• #5

Anyone in Texas see this new law was passed this last session? Our local news did a segment on the new laws going into effect Sept 1st, and this was in the list.

Texas HB 323 requires all new buses purchased by a school district on or after September 1, 2010 to be equipped with lap/shoulder seatbelts. All buses contracted for use by a school district on or after September 1, 2014 must be equipped with lap/shoulder seatbelts. (The bill's provisions will not take effect unless the legislature appropriates the necessary funds to school districts to cover the expenses of such changes.)

 

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michele12

New member

• Aug 23, 2007

• #6

Thanks for the link! I definitely missed that one. I get the compartmentalization theory, but don't necessarily love the idea.
Thanks again

 

beeman

Active member

• Aug 23, 2007

• #7

The other funny thing is they are available to the drivers (for understandable reasons), but 1/2 of the drivers don't use them. At least the roofs don't squish down to the seat tops in a roll over.

 

racesmom

Senior Community Member

• Aug 24, 2007

• #8

I didn't check the link, but wanted to comment. We had a "wonderful" lecture on this at our update. Crash test footage (real bus on the street being hit with dummies and cameras) shows l/s belts ARE safest, BUT you can only have two students per seat, instead of 3. In my not so humble opinion THAT is why busses don't have l/s.

Agreeing they are a very safe mode of transportation, even without l/s. I, however, would NOT use a lap only. I had to sign a waiver when my oldest was still in public school. He rode a short bus (due to location) and they insisted he use the lap only belt. No way!

 

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Mama2J

Member

• Aug 24, 2007

• #9

Connor's Mom said:

I only remembered this thread because it became quite heated.

Click to expand...

That was my thread! I feel like a celebrity starting such a heated debate on here! LOL

I do understand the concern about the school buses, especially for small kids. Personally, I'm not all that comfortable with my son being on them, even with a seat belt. I'm also wondering how safe it could be for his upper body to be thrown forward in a crash while in a lap belt.

Luckily we will only have to worry about it for field trips for the next three years. Then once he is in first grade, I will have to worry about it on a daily basis, but I probably will not have a choice then.

 

Connor's Mom

New member

• Aug 24, 2007

• #10

I saw this on Primetime Crime (ABC) the other day:
School Bus Driver, High on Coke, Busted by Camera

At the end of the piece (and in this story) asking
"Why were none of the students wearing seat belts? It turns out that only six states in the nation require them in school buses, and Kentucky is not one of them."

The show also stated that while there are states that had laws requiring buses to have seat belts, there where no regulations that required the children to wear them.

 

rachel3612

Senior Community Member

• Aug 24, 2007

• #11

I have read all the research and my kids are still not allowed on a bus. My 1st grader understands this, she watched crash footage and agrees that she doesn't go on a bus. My son is in K this year might have more of a problem but it is only one field trip they use the bus for so its only one time I have to deal with him upset about it. LOL We will drive him on the field trip just like we did last year with my daughter.

They do not have the option to ride the bus to school, you have to live over a mile from the school and we live 1.5 blocks (3 minute walk).

 

racesmom

Senior Community Member

• Aug 24, 2007

• #12

donnas said:

I do understand the concern about the school buses, especially for small kids. Personally, I'm not all that comfortable with my son being on them, even with a seat belt. I'm also wondering how safe it could be for his upper body to be thrown forward in a crash while in a lap belt.

Click to expand...

NO way would I allow a lap only belt. It defeats compartmentalization. All the footage I've seen clearly shows the head and neck receiving FAR more damage when a lap only belt is worn vs no belt. I would insist on lap/shoulder or no belt at all.

 

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mom2boys

New member

• Aug 24, 2007

• #13

I haven't read all of these threads, but I had to respond from reading the first one. My son goes to the public preschool in Illinois and they have car seats and booster seats for the buses. I called the bus company and inquired about it and they said that I could have one for my son and they asked me his info and got him one. They told me that any parent that calls and requests one can use one. So, you may want to call your transportation company for your school district and inquire. (sorry if someone already did this and they denied it, I don't have time to read all of this. )