If there are seatbelt laws, particularly car seat laws for children, why don't school buses have seatbelts?

Answer 1

It would be impossible for the bus driver to make sure all the kids kept them belted. Also, in case of an accident, it would take too long to get all the kids out if they were belted in. A school bus is much sturdier in an accident than a car (assuming neither is hit by a transport truck, in which case seat belts don't matter anyway).

Answer 2

Presuming that you are referring to the UK, it is not easy to give a quick answer. So, I will miss out a lot of technical detail.

Firstly, a bus is a different legal enity to a coach. Buses do not need seatbelts fitted, essentially because they operate scheduled services at, comparatively, lower speeds. Whereas new coaches need to have seatbelts fitted, the oldest coaches do not need to have them (indeed in some of the older coaches, there are insufficent points to fix the anchorages.)

School buses are either operated as a registered local bus service under the Transport Act 1985 or the Transport Act (Scotland) 2002 OR under contract to a Local Education Authority.

As nearly all registered local bus services are operated by buses, seatbelts are not fitted (see above).

On contract services, the Local Education Authority often puts out two different tenders. One for seatbelt vehicles, one without. Since seatbelted vehicles are newer, the depreciation costs are greater, leading to a higher quote.

Local Education Authorities, being tight-fisted, put cash before the safety of children and opt for non-seatbelted coaches. Until an accident occurs, when ...... (you can guess the rest!)

If Local Education Authorities, and others hiring coaches, were to give more thought to safety and less to cash, then the number of non-seatbelted coaches would diminish overnight.

Finally, with reference to buses (as opposed to coaches), the number of fatalities that could have been avoided if seatbelts had been fitted is incredibly small.

Answer 3

I am not convinced that seat belts in a bus are a good idea. Consider the type of wreck a school bus would be in. Would they work in a roll-over situation? What about side collision or head-on collision? What about flying debris? Kids bring a lot of stuff onto a bus that would be lethal projectiles in a wreck. How good is it to have a child belted in only to sustain a serious injury from a flying book or pencil?
They might be a good idea, but I am not sure that there is a safe place on a bus during a wreck. It might be like putting safety belts on motorcycles.

Answer 4

The more recent school buses do have seat belts and in fact some drivers won't move their bus without children being strapped in. I think for them to be effective more parents need to insist that their child is secure.

Answer 5

that's a very good question. being a student who rides the bus, i'm glad i don't have seatbelts, but i see where you're getting at. they do have them in the front row seats (at least they do in my county) but just for the little kids.

Answer 6

They are working on it. Depending on the area you live in. If schools have the budget, they'll do it. Newer model school bus equipt. with seatbelts.

Answer 7

the busses being manufactured now have seat belts--they will be a standard thing in the future---shouldnt be tolong--in jersey anyway--i am quite sure that school busses must be changed to new ones every eight years

Answer 8

I don't know what state you live in but NYS has them in all school buses! It's mandatory!