Why Don’T Buses Have Seatbelts?

Why do busses not have belts?

Can drivers with the appropriate class CDL and “P” endorsement (but no “S” endorsement) drive a Type I School Bus to the exam location? Do school bus lights and signs need to be covered? Yes. They don’t need to be accompanied by a licensed CDL operator with an “S” endorsement.

School bus signs and lights do not need to be covered. Why do school buses not require seat belts? According to the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration: “Students are about 70 times more likely to get to school safely when taking a bus instead of traveling by car. That’s because school buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road; they’re designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries; and in every State, stop-arm laws protect children from other motorists.

Seat belts have been required on passenger cars since 1968, and 49 States and the District of Columbia have enacted laws requiring the use of seat belts in passenger cars and light trucks. There is no question that seat belts play an important role in keeping passengers safe in these vehicles.

• But school buses are different by design, including a different kind of safety restraint system that works extremely well.
• Large school buses are heavier and distribute crash forces differently than passenger cars and light trucks do.
• Because of these differences, bus passengers experience much less crash force than those in passenger cars, light trucks, and vans.

NHTSA decided the best way to provide crash protection to passengers of large school buses is through a concept called “compartmentalization.” This requires that the interior of large buses protect children without them needing to buckle up. Through compartmentalization, children are protected from crashes by strong, closely-spaced seats that have energy-absorbing seat backs.

Small school buses (with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less) must be equipped with lap and/or lap/shoulder belts at all designated seating positions. Since the sizes and weights of small school buses are closer to those of passenger cars and trucks, seat belts in those vehicles are necessary to provide occupant protection.” Some states have passed legislation requiring school buses to have seatbelts in them.

As of now, Vermont has not. Some school districts and/or transportation providers have also mandated seatbelts be in the school buses they use. Does a mechanic who inspects school buses need to have a school bus endorsement? No. DMV policy states “School bus mechanics will be required to possess, at a minimum, a Class B CDL with a “P” (passenger) endorsement to operate an empty school bus.” This applies only to inspection of Type I School Buses.

• For Type II School Buses the inspection mechanic does not need a CDL or a Type II School Bus endorsement.
• Can a driver holding a valid out-of-state license (either CDL or non-CDL) drive a Type II School Bus in the State of Vermont? If the driver meets all qualifications for a Vermont Type II School Bus endorsement a card will be issued to the individual allowing them to drive a Type II School Bus in this state.

These requirements include attending a Vermont school bus clinic, passing all required tests (knowledge, vision, and skill tests), and submitting a medical form. Can a school bus endorsement be added to an out-of-state CDL? No, the school bus endorsement must be added by the state that issued the CDL.

Can a driver holding an out-of-state CDL drive a school bus for a Vermont school? Yes, if their license has both an “S” (school bus) and “P” (passenger) endorsement. There are no additional requirements. Do all school buses have to be yellow? Type I School Buses must be National School Bus Glossy Yellow.

It is legal for the hood and fenders to be lusterless black. Type II School Buses, manufactured after January 1, 2000, must be painted school bus yellow. Who is responsible for establishing school bus routes and stops? The School Board has the authority and responsibility to establish bus routes and stops.

The school bussing coordinator should also be consulted. When the stop is on a state highway, the Vermont Agency of Transportation can be consulted and may send someone out to look at the stop and put up a sign if warranted. What is the appropriate use of school buses that are registered as municipal vehicles? In order for a school bus to obtain a municipal registration it must be owned by a municipality and used entirely by that municipality or any other municipality.

A municipality may allow one of its buses to be used by another municipality. Compensation is not relevant. Do buses transporting Vermont students to and from school (or in connection to school activities) need to be registered in this state? There is no requirement that a school bus registered and garaged out-of-state, used for transportation of Vermont students, be registered in Vermont.

Does a school bus “garaged” in Vermont need to be registered in Vermont, or is it acceptable to have out-of-state plates? If the bus is garaged in Vermont it must be registered in Vermont. Vehicles incidentally in Vermont are not required to be registered in Vermont if they are here temporarily and will soon be returning to their home garage.

How long is a DOT (Department of Transportation) physical good for? A DOT physical is good for up to two (2) years and will be accepted by DMV (including for testing purposes) as long as valid, regardless of issue and expiration date. If a school bus is equipped with seat belts are the occupants required to wear them? For a Type I school bus: No.

For a Type II school bus: Yes. Who needs to comply with CDL driver requirements and regulations? School contractors need to be in compliance with all CDL driver qualification requirements and regulations ( FMCSR 391 ). It should be noted while there is an exemption for “to and from school” operation, there is no such exemption for trips performed by contractors.

School transportation performed by a state or political subdivision of a state (i.e., municipalities) are exempt from some CDL requirements. For more information see FMCSR 390.3 (a), applicability, (f)(1)(2) exceptions ( see interpretations for this section ).

Copies of physicals (to include vision and hearing screening), Initial 3-year driving record, Documentation indicating all students are participating in emergency evacuations twice a year, and Records of vehicle pre-trip inspections.

Contractors also need to be in compliance with all CDL driver qualification requirements and regulations ( FMCSR 391 ). How can I find a drug testing program for my company? Contact Vermont League of Cities and Towns, Vermont Student Transportation Association, Vermont Truck and Bus Association or Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration,

Why do you wear a seatbelt on a bus?

The Pros of Seat Belts in School Buses – Regardless of the argument, seat belts still provide some benefits to those that wear them in school buses. Some of these benefits are the following:

They prevent riders from being ejected from the seats.

Severe impacts can lead to passengers being ejected from their seats. In cars, the passenger may even fly out the windshield. While this is mostly not a concern for school buses, ejections can still lead to injuries.

They educate students on road safety early on.

School buses are the only vehicles subjected to the arguments of whether seat belts should be required or not. When students ride other cars, they will be required to stay buckled at all times. Teaching them to buckle up in school buses can teach them to stay buckled in other vehicles. This provides an excellent learning opportunity, especially for younger students.

Seat belts affect student behavior.

School buses can tend to get a bit loud and active at times. Requiring students to stay buckled means can impact student behavior. They will always be strapped down to their seats for the duration of the ride. Activity levels will naturally go down as a result.

Seat belts can prevent some forms of injury

Keeping students buckled can prevent some types of injury that can come from impact. These include ejection, impact damage, and many others. The reason why people are opposed to requiring seat belts to be installed in school buses is bus design. School buses are designed with compartmentalization in mind.

Why do buses in the UK not have seat belts?

That’s because a city service bus is for short journeys and speed of 20 to 30mph. They only travel short journeys between each stop,seats are designed to prevent people from being tossed out also.

Do Australian school busses have seat belts?

School Bus Compartmentalisation Law in Australia – School bus compartmentalisation laws in Australia are designed to ensure the safety of students while they travel to and from school. These laws require that all school buses be fitted with a protective barrier between the driver and passengers.

1. This barrier is designed to protect passengers from any potential harm that may occur during an accident or other emergency situation.
2. Additionally, these laws also require that all school buses be fitted with an emergency exit, which can be used in the event of an emergency.
3. You can learn more about this by checking school bus safety guidelines in NSW,

We now know the dangers of travelling without seat belts – not just on a school bus but in any vehicle! But despite increased awareness among policymakers and parents in Australia, there is no nationwide law requiring seatbelts on school buses – a decision that has many questioning why such action isn’t already mandatory.

Through this article, we will delve into what role government legislation has played in preventing seatbelt requirements on Australian school buses, why it hasn’t been mandated yet and explore strategies to create safer conditions for children travelling by bus to and from school each day. The main reason why seat belts are not yet required on school buses in Australia is due to the cost associated with retrofitting existing buses.

The cost of installing seatbelts in a single bus can be as much as $20,000, and this cost can quickly add up when considering the thousands of buses that would need to be retrofitted. Additionally, there are concerns about how effective seatbelts would be in an accident, as the compartmentalisation law has been found to be effective in preventing serious injury in most cases.

Another factor is that there are still questions about how effective seatbelts would be for children, who may not use them correctly or at all. There is also a lack of research into the effectiveness of seatbelts on school buses and how they could impact overall safety. Finally, there is the issue of enforcement.

It would be difficult to ensure that all children are wearing their seatbelts correctly and consistently, which could lead to additional costs for schools and bus companies in terms of monitoring and enforcement. Here’s a news article that gives more information about this.

Why don’t Australian buses have seatbelts?

Dedicated school buses in regional areas are required to have seatbelts, but those safety measures have never been put in place in metropolitan areas because it was deemed those buses travelled at relatively slow speeds. They are also switched between operating school runs and regular transport routes.

Do buses have seat belts UK?

Ever wondered why buses don’t have seatbelts? Even if your answer is no, bet you’re thinking about it now, eh? UK law is strict when it comes to cars and smaller vehicles – anyone sitting in a seat where a belt is fitted must wear it. Drivers or passengers caught not wearing one when they’re supposed to face a fine of up to £500.

• So why are these rules thrown out the window when it comes to buses ? There are actually a few reasons, and they’re pretty damn logical when you think about it.
• TikToker Sherif El Sahly shared this bit of trivia in one of his latest videos, saying: “Some of the old buses had seatbelts but then the people who made the buses decided to remove them because they were kind of pointless.

“If a car were ever to crash into a bus, nothing would happen to the passengers and they won’t go flying around.” Told you it was logical. Buses are huge, cars are not – as such, there’s no way a car or van could generate the same impact as it would if the situation were flipped. TikToker Jodi the Bus Driver elaborated on the topic. Credit: TikTok/@jodithebusdriver “If there’s a fire on the bus, the bus driver has to get everyone out of the bus as quickly as possible and the seatbelts will slow the process down.” These comments were elaborated on by a real bus driver, who goes by the name Jodi on TikTok.

• Answering the same question, she explains: “So the reason we don’t have seatbelts is something called compartmentalisation, which effectively is high seat backs and not a lot of room in between the seats.
• So when a student is sitting properly and we get into an accident, they fly forward and hit the seat in front of them, this lovely seat cushioning their impact.” While this works well at lower speeds, Jodi has seatbelts on her vehicle as the route involves driving down a motorway.

“A crash at 40 kilometres an hour versus 100 kilometres an hour is a totally different scenario,” she points out. As for the UK, the government states that as of October 2001, seatbelts have been required to be installed in each forward and rearward facing seat in all new buses. UK buses that drive in urban areas aren’t going as far or fast. Credit: Pexels So why do we hardly ever see them? According to the website: “The only exemption from this requirement is for buses that are designed for urban use with standing passengers.

How many seats are on a school bus?

The typical school bus will accommodate 48 adult passengers (2 per seat) or 72 children (2nd grade or younger sitting 3 per seat). Is a large bus just too big for the operating area, we have small buses too, which typically seat 10 adults or 20 children (2nd grade or younger).

What are the cons of seat belts?

Advantages: · Seat belt usage reduces the chance of traffic-related fatalities by 45 percent. In 2006 over 15,000 lives were saved by seat belt use. · In most cases, wearing a seat belt prevents ejection from the vehicle. Statistics show 75 percent of drivers ejected during a car accident were killed. Only one percent of them were wearing a seat belt. · Wearing a seat belt minimizes the body’s contact with the interior of the car resulting in fewer injuries. Seat belt usage reduces the chance of being injured by up to 50 percent. · Seat belts spread the force of impact over larger parts of the body reducing severity of injuries. Injuries sustained when not wearing a seat belt can be up to five times greater. · Average medical costs for belted drivers are 60 percent less than for unbelted drivers.

Disadvantages: · Seatbelt use tends to increase risk-taking in drivers. This could lead to an increase in more severe accidents, which, in turn, reduces or mitigates the effectiveness of seatbelts. · They sometimes contribute to accident-related injuries, as is described by the term “seat belt syndrome.” · In many cases, the fibers of the seat belt can cause harm to the chest and abdominal areas.

Is it illegal to not wear a seatbelt UK?

You must wear a seat belt if one is fitted in the seat you’re using – there are only a few exceptions, You’re also only allowed one person in each seat fitted with a seat belt. You can be fined up to £500 if you do not wear a seat belt when you’re supposed to.

Why are UK bus stop seats slanted?

The slanted bus stop design has been implemented in large cities like New York, Paris and London in an attempt to prevent the homeless from sleeping in highly populated public spaces. Other architectural measures including armrests, foldable seats, and even spikes have also been used as a means to deter the homeless.

Why don t more countries have double decker buses?

Most cities in the world don’t have sufficient height clearance to operate them, though. They are generally used for long-distance highway buses.

Do buses have airbags?

The seats in a bus or train are packed close together with high cushioned backs. this creates a little ‘compartment’ that the passenger sits in. in the event of a crash you will just get tossed around into the cushioned seats. Hence the impact damping effect, essentially the same as an airbag provides.

Are bus seats safe?

Why You Don’t Have To Wear Seat Belts In Buses? Written by Ashish Last Updated On: 15 Mar 2023 Table of Contents (click to expand) Buses are typically larger and heavier than other automobiles, which makes them less likely to sustain damage in a collision. In addition, seats in a bus are typically installed equidistant from each other, which creates “compartments” that help to absorb the impact of a collision or sudden stop. Finally, the cost of adding seatbelts to a bus is prohibitively expensive. As time passes, we invent and innovate new ways to make our everyday activities easier and more convenient. When our ancient ancestors first stumbled on the, I’m sure they wouldn’t have even thought about the tremendously powerful cars that we drive in today, but we can hardly imagine life without them! However, it’s not just speed that has enjoyed its time in the spotlight; passenger safety has also occupied innovators’ minds for decades. When sitting in a container that runs at speeds of 80 miles per hour, you have to put some mechanisms in place that would protect occupants in the case of an untoward occurrence. That’s essentially how seat belts came into the picture. Going back to our ancestors again, what would they think about sitting in a metal container, strapped in to a strange rubbery seat? The importance of seat belts is clear, but have you noticed an interesting phenomenon? They have seat belts in cars and similar vehicles, but they don’t have seat belts in buses. Why is that? Recommended Video for you: Credit: starman963/Fotolia A seat belt, also referred to as safety belt, is a kind of safety device installed in automobiles to ensure that the occupant of the seat remains secured against any harmful movements that may result from powerful jolts due to a collision, sudden stop, or accident. A seat belt keeps you positioned in a way to maximize the effectiveness of the airbag once it is deployed following an accident. Not only that, but seat belts also help you experience a more comfortable ride by making sure that you don’t sway or jerk while maneuvering through turns. However, if seat belts are such an important staple of safety while sitting inside an automobile, then why don’t they put seat belts in buses? Since buses typically carry more passengers by design, doesn’t it become inherently more important to ensure their safety? Also Read:

Do truck drivers have to wear seat belts in Australia?

Table of Contents

Part A. Fitness to drive principles and practices

Part B. Medical standards Part C. Appendices

The use of seatbelts is compulsory in Australia for drivers of all motor vehicles. This includes drivers of trucks and buses but excludes taxi drivers in New South Wales and Queensland (while carrying passengers). It has been reported that unrestrained occupants are more than three times more likely to be killed in the event of a crash than those who wear seatbelts.

Why don t buses have seatbelts in NZ?

Why aren’t seatbelts required on school buses? Fair Go investigates

Over 100,000 children hop on a school busses all over New Zealand every day.But one South Island mother is exasperated that when her soon-to-be five-year-old daughter heads off to school in one, she won’t even be wearing a seatbelt.Pip Cameron wrote to Fair Go asking why Flora needs to be strapped in to her seat on the drive to the bus stop – but doesn’t need to be restrained on the school bus.”Someone of Flora’s height and weight should still be in a five-point harness,” Pip said.”It seems strange that I could drive her to the bus stop with a restraint of some sort, a booster or a car seat, then she could hop on the bus with nothing.”Currently, seatbelts in school buses are not compulsory – and sitting down isn’t mandatory either.

Pip’s conundrum isn’t a new one. For the past five years, a group of mothers in the North Canterbury town of Cheviot have been campaigning for seatbelts in school buses. The group – called Belt Up – started their campaign after a bus crash in the town in 2014 saw a six-year-old girl propelled out of the bus and nearly run over.

1. They even put together some draft legislation which was passed over by this Government.
2. And the last one.
3. The Government says buses are the safest form of transport and retroactively fitting seatbelts would be too expensive.
4. A 2010 New Zealand Transport Authority report put the cost at roughly $80 million.

Belt Up’s Pip Sidey, who witnessed the bus crash in 2014, says that the way things are going someone will need to die before something is done. One of the biggest bus companies in New Zealand, Ritchies, says it would welcome seatbelts being made compulsory.

What was the worst bus accident in Australia?

Kempsey bus crash
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Details
Date	22 December 1989 02:40
Location	Pacific Highway, Clybucca Flat, Kempsey, New South Wales
Country	Australia
Operator	McCafferty’s Coaches Trans City Express
Statistics
Vehicles	2
Deaths	35
Injured	41

The Kempsey bus crash killed 35 people and injured 41 on the Pacific Highway near Kempsey, New South Wales on 22 December 1989 when a McCafferty’s Coaches coach operating an express service from Brisbane to Sydney collided head on with a Trans City Express coach operating an express service from Sydney to Brisbane. It remains the worst road crash in Australia.

When did seatbelts become law in Australia?

The history of seat belts – Seat belts are not new: Volvo introduced todays’ three-point seat belts as standard in 1959. They also made the system available to all car manufacturers, patent-free – a generous act which has saved countless lives since then.

In Australia, front-seat seat belts became compulsory in 1969, and belts were required on all seats by 1971. It’s also been compulsory to wear a seat belt since 1971. Early seat belts relied on the give in the webbing material, but there were two major issues. First, the webbing was too loose, so the occupant could move forward in a crash and possibly make contact with the dashboard or windscreen, or they could be injured by the sudden jerk when the slack in the webbing stopped.

Second, in severe crashes the loads imposed on the body could become too high, leading to injury. The first problem was solved in 1975 when automatic retractors were made compulsory – along with pre-tensioners, they were added to take up the slack in the seat belt.

Webbing clamps were later introduced to prevent excessive payout of the webbing if the retractor locking is delayed. Load limiters allow limited webbing payout when crash loads become excessive. Modern cars feature airbags and electronics that work with intelligent seat belt design to allow for a greater variety of situations, while warning systems remind drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.

These innovations have greatly improved safety for drivers and passengers. Last updated January 2022

Can you travel in a motorhome without seatbelts UK?

Who needs to wear a seatbelt in your motorhome? – – If your motorhome was manufactured after 2006, you must identify the seats which you have designated as travel seats. Your motorhome must have seatbelts for all designated travel seats throughout the vehicle, and passengers are required to use them while the motorhome is in transit.

Only the driver and the specified passenger seats require three-point seatbelts. The rest of the designated travel seats must have at least two point seatbelts. Side facing seats cannot be designated as travel seats. – If your motorhome was manufactured after 1st October 1988, it must have seat belts fitted for the driver, as well as any forward-facing passengers.

These seatbelts must be worn when the motorhome is in transit. Seatbelts for the driver and designated passenger must be three-point belts. Other belts fitted in the vehicle are permitted to be two or three-point belts. – If your motorhome was manufactured before 1st October 1988, it must have seatbelts for the driver and a designated passenger in the front.

It is not necessarily illegal for a rear seat passenger not to wear a seatbelt. However, the police could deem not wearing a seatbelt in the rear of the vehicle to be an offence if the motorhome is being driven at high speeds. – Although not illegal, the government does not recommend using side facing seats in the rear while a motorhome is in transit.

In the event of an accident, seatbelts might actually increase injury risk if there is a frontal collision. This is research which is cited by the EU Parliament. Ads by Salop Leisure Scroll to continue with content

Do you have to wear a seatbelt in a minibus UK?

Wearing a seat belt on a minibus, bus or coach – If you are travelling in a minibus you must wear a seat belt if one is fitted (or a child restraint if available). On a bus or coach you should always wear a seat belt if one is fitted. If you are aged 14 or over, the law states that you must wear a seat belt if fitted.

Who doesn’t have to wear a seatbelt UK?

You do not need to wear a seat belt if you’re:

a driver who is reversing, or supervising a learner driver who is reversing in a vehicle being used for police, fire and rescue services a passenger in a trade vehicle and you’re investigating a fault driving a goods vehicle on deliveries that is travelling no more than 50 metres between stops a licensed taxi driver who is looking for customers either by being hailed in the street or by waiting at a taxi rank (known as ‘plying for hire’) a licensed taxi driver or a driver of a private hire vehicle who is carrying passengers

Private hire vehicles include minicabs, chauffeur services or limousines.

Are seat belts required on school buses in California?

Location: SCHOOLS – TRANSPORTATION; SEAT BELTS;

STATES REQUIRING SEAT BELTS ON SCHOOL BUSES

By: Paul Frisman, Principal Analyst

ISSUE You asked for information about federal and state school bus seat belt laws. This report updates the information provided in OLR Report 2010-R-0055, SUMMARY The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which sets national standards for school bus safety, requires three-point seat belts (lap-and-shoulder belts) on school buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds, but allows individual states to decide whether to require seat belts on larger school buses.

Six states – California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Texas – do so. These state laws address such issues as the type of seat belt required (lap or three-point), priority for allocation of seat belt-equipped school buses, liability of school bus operators, whether application of the law depends on the availability of funding, and other factors.

For example, New York’s law allows local school districts to decide if students must use seat belts; Texas requires school districts to report annually on school bus accidents. NHTSA, which has traditionally maintained that seat belts are not needed on school buses, announced a change in policy in 2015, and is now exploring ways, in the words of NHTSA administrator Mark R.

Rosekind, to “make seat belts on schools buses a reality.” According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 10 states, including Connecticut, considered school bus seat belt bills in 2016, although none was enacted. FEDERAL REGULATION Federal law authorizes NHTSA to set national standards for school bus safety.

NHTSA requires three-point seat belts on school buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds, but allows individual states or local jurisdictions to decide whether to require seat belts on larger school buses ( 49 C,F,R,571.222 ). NHTSA has traditionally held that large school buses do not need seat belts because they are already the safest way for students to travel to school.

It has said adding seat belts would cost between $7,346 and $10,296 per bus, and would reduce the number of students each bus could carry because the thicker seat backs needed to accommodate the seat belts would mean each bus would have fewer rows of seats. “Given the trade-off between installing seat belts and implementing other safety measures that could benefit pupil transportation or other social welfare initiatives, and given that large school buses are already very safe,” NHTSA stated in 2008, “we believe that states should be permitted the choice of deciding whether belts should be part of their large school bus purchases.” In November 2015, NHTSA administrator Rosekind announced a change in position, saying the agency now believes “that every child on every school bus should have a three-point seat belt.” Rosekind said NHTSA would take a number of steps to achieve this goal, such as gathering better information on the safety benefits of seat belts in jurisdictions that require them and on whether seat belt requirements reduce the safety risks from driver distraction.

STATE LAWS REQUIRING SEAT BELTS ON SCHOOL BUSES California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Texas require school bus seat belts. California California law requires three-point seat belts on (1) school buses manufactured on and after July 1, 2005 that carry more than 16 passengers and (2) all other school buses manufactured on and after July 1, 2004.

It requires school transportation providers, when feasible, to give priority to elementary school students when allocating seat-belt equipped school buses. Under the law, the state cannot charge any person, school district, or organization with violating this law if a passenger either does not fasten his or her seat belt, or does so improperly ( Cal.

Veh. Code 27316 ). State regulations require school bus passengers to (1) use the seat belts and (2) be taught how to use them in an age-appropriate manner ( Cal. Code Regs. Title 5, 14105 ). Florida Florida law requires (1) new school buses purchased on and after January 1, 2001 to be equipped with seat belts or other federally-approved restraint system and (2) each school bus passenger to wear a properly adjusted belt when the bus is operating.

It exempts (1) the state; (2) counties; (3) school districts; and (4) school bus operators and their agents, including teachers and volunteer chaperones, from liability for personal injury to a school bus passenger solely caused by (a) the injured passenger ‘ s failure to wear a seat belt or (b) another passenger’s use or non-use of a seat belt in a dangerous or unsafe manner.

It requires school districts to ensure that elementary schools receive first priority when they allocate school buses with seat belts, and exempts certain vehicles not used exclusively to transport public school students ( Fla. Stat, Ann.316.6145 and 1006.25 (1)(b) ).

Louisiana Louisiana requires the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to (1) adopt rules and regulations requiring every bus used primarily to transport students to be equipped with seat belts by June 30, 2004, and (2) require the governing authority of each public and private school to comply with these rules and regulations.

However, Louisiana makes compliance with the law contingent on the appropriation of funds ( La. Rev. Stat.17:164.2 ). According to NCSL, the state has not appropriated the necessary money. New Jersey New Jersey requires school buses to have lap belts or other child restraint systems that meet federal standards and certain minimum seat back heights.

It requires students to wear properly adjusted and fastened seat belts while the bus is operating, and relieves school bus owners and operators of liability for a passenger’s failure to wear a seat belt if that failure directly results in an injury to the passenger ( N.J. Stat. Ann.39:3B-10 and 39:3B-11 ).

New York New York requires school buses manufactured for use in New York on and after July 1, 1987 to have seat belts and increased seat back padding on all passenger seats. It requires school buses scheduled for retrofitting to have these same modifications, but exempts certain older buses from this requirement and allows the motor vehicle commissioner to exempt certain others.

However, New York allows individual school boards to determine whether their students must use the seat belts ( N.Y. Veh. & Traf.383 (5) and N.Y. Educ.3635-a (1) ). Texas Texas requires each (1) bus purchased by a school district starting September 1, 2010 and (2) school-chartered bus contracted for use by a school district starting September 1, 2011, to be equipped with three-point seat belts for the passengers and the driver.

But the requirement takes effect only if the legislature appropriates money to reimburse school districts for the cost of installing the belts. NCSL says the Texas legislature has not provided the funding needed to implement the law. Texas requires the state board of education to develop and provide to each school district instructions on the proper use of three-point seat belts, and makes the board the clearinghouse for districts seeking information on school bus safety.

School districts must require students to wear seat belts on buses equipped with them, and they may develop a disciplinary policy to enforce the seat belts’ use. The law allows people to donate three-point seat belts, or money for their purchase, and allows a school district’s board of trustees to acknowledge this by displaying a “small, discreet” sign on the side or back of the bus.

(But the sign may not be an advertisement for the donor.) It also requires each school district to file an annual report with the Texas Education Agency on accidents involving its school buses. The report must include information on (1) the type of bus involved, (2) whether it had seat belts, (3) the number of students and adults involved in the accident, (4) the number and types of injuries sustained by the bus passengers, and (5) whether the injured passengers were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident.

The agency must publish the reports on its website ( Texas Tran. Code Ann.547.701 (e) and Ed. Code Ann.34.012 through 34.015 ). RECENT LEGISLATION According to NCSL, 10 states, including Connecticut, considered school bus seat belt bills in 2016, although none was enacted. The other states are Arizona, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and West Virginia.

Indiana adopted a resolution urging the legislative council to study the topic of seat belts on school buses. More information on these bills can be found in NCSL ‘ s traffic safety legislation database, The Connecticut bill, HB 5462, would have required all school buses to have three-point seat belts, starting with model year 2021.

It was reported favorably by the Transportation Committee (File 283) but died in the Appropriations Committee. MORE INFORMATION A June 2016 NCSL report on school bus seat belts can be found at: http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/should-school-buses-have-seat-belts.aspx, More information on school bus seat belts can be found in OLR Report 2009-R-0419,

A July 2015 NHTSA PowerPoint presentation on Seat Belts on Large School Buses can be found at: www. nhtsa,gov/ nhtsa /symposiums/july2015/assets/ NHTSA -PPT- SchoolBus,pdf, PF:cmg