School bus concern

[kitkat0872]

I've done some reading and searching on here and it looks like 40lbs is the minimum to be safe on the big, yellow school bus... is that correct?

My youngest will start kindergarten in the fall. He's 5 years old, but only 37" tall and 31lbs. He's being monitored by an endocrinologist for slow growth, so I know he won't be even close to 40lbs by mid-August, when school starts. Am I going to have to be his to/from school transport? Big brother rides the bus and my peanut has been looking forward to joining him for two years, but I want him to be safe.

If it matters, the route is local streets, no highways, top speed around 35mph.

 

[safeinthecar]

40# is the minimum size of child that compartmentalization (the egg crate design of the seats that keeps kids from flying around) works for.

Ideally, since this is a medical issue, you can work with the transportation people to get your son an EZ on vest and cam wrap http://ezonpro.com/e-z-on-seat-mount-camwrap/

 

[kitkat0872]

Thanks for that link. We may need it if we decide to push for transport to provide a safe ride.

Are there any links/info out there about the 40lbs minimum for compartmentalization? I've told my hubby that I've heard it more than once on various boards over the years, usually from CPSTs, but I think he would like something besides "what one person said."

 

[cantabdad]

The federal NHTSA guidelines for small children on school buses are here:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/buses/guide1999/prekfinal.htm

The document calls for child restraints / carseats but it doesn't seem to give an exact age or weight cutoff, except for a passing reference to 50 lbs. I think 40 lbs. is the general consensus and perhaps somewhere there is a more technical study that supports that benchmark.

Thanks for that link. We may need it if we decide to push for transport to provide a safe ride.

Are there any links/info out there about the 40lbs minimum for compartmentalization? I've told my hubby that I've heard it more than once on various boards over the years, usually from CPSTs, but I think he would like something besides "what one person said."

 

[kitkat0872]

I wonder if the transportation department will argue with "preschool age" since it continually references that, without a weight, and he is of school age? Guess it's time for some serious investigating and putting info together so we can see about getting him safely on the bus in August.

 

[safeinthecar]

If all else fails and the district refuses to provide a vest and cam wrap, I don't see why they would have a problem using it if you provide it. The vest and wrap together are less than 200$.