Why aren't school buses required to have seat belts?

todvango

Okay, first things first.

I haven't read all the articles in detail, so forgive me if I am wrong, but the crash in Atlanta was a tour or charter bus, was it not? I am pretty sure those busses do have seatbelts, don't they? I mean I never heard in any of the news reports one way or the other, but I could have missed it.

Now about school buses in general. Are seatbelts a good idea? In a perfect world, yes. But the answer isn't always that simple.

Who's gonna pay the nearly $10,000 per bus cost to retrofit all existing buses? Once retrofitted or replaced, who makes sure all of the kids put the belts on? Where's the assurance that they'll keep the belts on? What about those kids who decide to use the belts and buckles to torture other kids? You certainly cannot expect the driver who is trying to watch the road to keep all of these things in check.

It's also about statistics. Bus accidents with injuries to the riders are newsworthy for sure, and that's why we all hear about them, but they are not all that common either. True, they happen more than airline crashes, but most bus accidents do not result in significant injuries to the riders and they don't make the national news. When an accident happens that kills anyone on a bus, then it's on the nightly news and everyone is outraged. But statistically, you are far safer on a bus with no seatbelts that you are in a car with seatbelts and airbags.

Showtunes

They tried it years ago in my area. There was no change in crash related injuries; but overall injuries went up because students used them as weapons against one another.

Cherry_Fire

I used to ask this question when I was in grade school and was told that the reason why buses don't have seat belts is because if there is an accident, many students might be too panicky and not be able to free themselves from a seatbelt.

KirksWorld

Well we'd spend a lot of tax money installing belts and my guess would be few would get worn anyway. Even if the driver were to check, they'd be unclicking them before he got back to his seat.

I always wear a seatbelt, and insured my children did in the car as well. But I'm just being realistic about the population of school children at large.

elliemay

that's a very good question! probably to costly. what good does it do to spend money on new schools if the kids can't get their safely?

He's my world

That's a really good question...I think all school busses should have seatbelts...There have been a few too many accidents lately.

mooncrystal6

School buses in NJ have seat belts, save a few really old buses. The problem is, no one wears the gum covered things.

Yahya d

Seatbelts can act as a potential hazard as it increases the risk of serious neck injuries.... Buses are bulky and tend to travel slower anyway than cars, coaches etc.... theres always a cost-benefit analysis ... and in the case of seatbelts on buses.. no additional safety has been proven so most buses dont have seatbelts

komical

The reason that buses are not required to have seat belts is because they are big and they are yellow.

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