School bus safety discussion/ They told me there's enough chaperones

HEVY

New member
But since I am so paranoid I can drive rachel to her school trip. They offered to have her sit in between each teacher but I don't know. DH says I got to let her go. I know buses are safer yada yada yada..........But all I see on the news is school bus accident here, school bus accident there. What can I do to make her safer on the bus? Or what can I do to rid the fear and anxiety?
 
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Simplysomething

New member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Does she not ride a bus to and from school? Is it going to be a big yellow bus? Does she know how to sit properly on the bus?
 

Melizerd

New member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Let her go. She needs to know that you trust other adults and busses really are safer.

Riding the bus on a field trip is part of the fun and experience of the trip. Sometimes we just have to take a leap of faith. Putting another car on the road is more dangerous really.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Big yellow busses are way safer than cars, and it's important for your daughter to be part of the class.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Perhaps some stats would help to reassure you and put school bus safety in perspective? I jotted down some school bus safety stats during a lecture on school bus safety at a CEU conference for CPSTs a couple of weeks ago. Let me find my notes.

23.5 million children in the U.S. ride the school bus to and from school and to and from school related activities daily on approx. 440,000 school buses. There were 7 total child fatalities on board these school buses in the U.S. over the course of one year (sorry, my notes don't say which year) and 4 bus driver fatalities. There were 800 child fatalities in passenger vehicles operated by parents/caregivers who were driving children to and from school only, not including any driving to and from school related activities, over the course of the same year. :( 800 kids > 7 kids + 4 bus drivers, although losing anyone to a crash is regrettable.

The other take away from the lecturer was to ideally avoid riding in the first few rows or in the last several rows closest to the back of the bus, to be farther away from possible frontal or rear impacts, but to again bear in mind that the school bus is statistically much safer than riding in a regular passenger vehicle overall and someone always has to ride in the front-most and rear-most rows on a full school bus anyway.

Does that help put things in perspective? :) I know stats like this did for me when DD1 started school and began riding the school bus, and this lecture helped reinforce the decision to let her ride the school bus instead of driving her to and from school daily. My only qualm now is that DD1 is assigned the seat right behind the school bus driver due to her food allergies, rather than a seat farther back on the bus.
 
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BW1426

Well-known member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Perhaps some stats would help to reassure you and put school bus safety in perspective? I jotted down some school bus safety stats during a lecture on school bus safety at a CEU conference for CPSTs a couple of weeks ago. Let me find my notes.

23.5 million children in the U.S. ride the school bus to and from school and to and from school related activities daily on approx. 440,000 school buses. There were 7 total child fatalities on board these school buses in the U.S. over the course of one year (sorry, my notes don't say which year) and 4 bus driver fatalities, There were 800 child fatalities in passenger vehicles operated by parents/caregivers who were driving children to and from school only, not including any driving to and from school related activities, over the course of the same year. :( 800 kids > 7 kids + 4 bus drivers, although losing anyone to a crash is regrettable.

The other take away from the lecturer was to ideally ride in the middle of the school bus rather than in the first few rows or in the last several rows closest to the back of the bus, to be farther away from possible frontal or rear impacts, but to again bear in mind that the school bus is statistically much safer than riding in a regular passenger vehicle overall and someone always has to ride in the front-most and rear-most rows on a full school bus anyway.

Does that help put things in perspective? :) I know stats like this did for me when DD1 started school and began riding the school bus, and this lecture helped reinforce the decision to let her ride the school bus instead of driving her to and from school daily. My only qualm now is that DD1 is assigned the seat right behind the school bus driver due to her food allergies, rather than a seat farther back on the bus.

Thank you for not making me get out of this chair that I seem to be glued to to get my notes and post this :p ;)
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

LOL. I was hoping you or Bookmama knew what year those stats were from. I didn't note the year and/or the lecturer didn't say what year they're from.
 

BookMama

Senior Community Member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

LOL. I was hoping you or Bookmama knew what year those stats were from. I didn't note the year and/or the lecturer didn't say what year they're from.

I don't think she said a specific year - I seem to recall that she said "7 a year" and "800 a year," etc.

See that's why we need rep in the community forums!! :D

I think the original question could have reasonably been posted in one of the safety topics forums, where rep is allowed. :shrug-shoulders:
 

HEVY

New member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Thanks Jean,
I know buses are safer, that doesn't take away the anxiety, but that's my problem.
Her school is around the corner, literally behind my house.
We took a big yellow bus for her first trip, she sat in the lap belt and was good but the driver was a maniac and after that there were no more bus trips. I like to go on the trips as well, what's the use of being a SAHM if I can't participate? :(
I know it's good for her to go with her friends in the big bus instead of being a baby and going with mommy in the car seat :rolleyes: But I honestly don't trust anyone, other than school no one cares for my child but me and DH and he only does it in the house. I don't feel anyone can properly supervise my child as well as I do :whistle:
My anxiety will kill me for the next month, trip is on the 23rd. Even writing this I'm near fainting and got tears :crying: I know, that's my problem not hers.

I would also like to watch how she interacts with other kids, she still complains about no one being her friend, I know that can't be entirely true, but I would like to see.
 

BW1426

Well-known member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Hevy, your DD is substantially less safe on the bus using a seatbelt than not using a seatbelts.

In crash testing using seatbelts had poorer outcomes than not using seatbelts on school buses. Seatbelts are not designed to be a part of compartmentalization.
 

Guest

New member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

She's gotta grow up some time. I think part of the problem isn't really about safety, but letting her go off into the big bad world.
 

doriansmummy

New member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

If it makes you feel any better I would feel the same if my son was in public school.:whistle: We homeschool and we do use public transport. But I would have anxiety over a situation like this. But, really she is going to be in public school and this is something that comes along with it, if not now, it will be soon. I would just let her go and deal with your emotions as long as she is comfortable going on it.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Wellllll, somoene could move it there :whistle: :D

Done. :) I moved the thread to Carseat Chat where the school bus safety discussion and stats could be helpful for others and the thread can be archived. :)
 

jillianrose

New member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

If you makes you feel any better, I'm with you. I go on EACH and EVERY field trip with my daughters and they ride with me in their car/booster seats. I tell them I love to go on trips with them (and I really do) and that I think it's unsafe for them to ride on a bus without seatbelts or boosters. They're still young (5 & 7) and not the least bit embarrassed by mom's presence or paranoia, so for now it works for us. When they get older I may have to re-think things, but for now I'm happy and they're happy (and safe).

And in my opinion you are 100% correct, NO ONE will supervise or carefully watch your child like you do. I've seen kids run amok completely unsupervised on school trips, and that only serves to reinforce my paranoia and need to be there, at least until they are older, wiser, and have achieved their black belt in Tae Kwon Do! Go, and enjoy!!
 
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BW1426

Well-known member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

If you makes you feel any better, I'm with you. I go on EACH and EVERY field trip with my daughters and they ride with me in their car/booster seats. I tell them I love to go on trips with them (and I really do) and that I think it's unsafe for them to ride on a bus without seatbelts or boosters.

I'm sorry, but this just simply is not true. Cars have a far higher injury and death rate than buses. And, buses are designed to be safe without seatbelts. If you add seatbelts onto buses, they are actually LESS safe.

7 yes seven kids die a year on buses. 7. Only 7. And that's a real life number so that does take into account that kids don't sit perfectly 100% of the time.

When I was in school, the parents always rode the bus for school trips and we never had issues with kids running up and down the aisles. Not to say that everyone sat still 100% of the time, but there certainly were not people running up and down aisles.

Honestly, the bus accidents where children die or are severely injured are very unlikely circumstances. Such as, a bus falls off a bridge, or gets hit by a train. Because here is the thing. A passenger car or truck is too low to impact where the children sit. A train, semi, or other large vehicle is what a bus would have to be hit by in order to cause a substantial amount of damage.

Buses are designed to protect children Kindergarten and older through compartmentalization.
 

kater-tot82

New member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

Hevy, your DD is substantially less safe on the bus using a seatbelt than not using a seatbelts.

In crash testing using seatbelts had poorer outcomes than not using seatbelts on school buses. Seatbelts are not designed to be a part of compartmentalization.

I have been telling my DD to buckle up all year...not necessarily for safety as much as it keeps her in her seat on the bus. Should I be telling her not to? When she wasn't buckling up before, she was frequently getting out of her seat per the bus driver. (We are in New York and all buses have seat belts). I guess now I am confused on what I should be advising my daughter...:confused:
 

BW1426

Well-known member
Re: They told me there's enough chaperones

I have been telling my DD to buckle up all year...not necessarily for safety as much as it keeps her in her seat on the bus. Should I be telling her not to? When she wasn't buckling up before, she was frequently getting out of her seat per the bus driver. (We are in New York and all buses have seat belts). I guess now I am confused on what I should be advising my daughter...:confused:

Let me see if I can find the crash test videos we saw. Be right back.
 

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