OK For The Last Time- Do We Need Seatbelts On School Buse?

Question

I say yes and so do alot of you out their. Some say its too expensive, well when we have public officials giving themselves raises, and then we have poor people living on the streets, something is wrong. Its not the cost of doing it, most people don't have children, like I don't personaly know anyone living on the streets, so why bother, doesn't concern me, out of sight , out of mind. Saying that a small child couldn't get out of the seatbelt if something happend, children today are smart and they learn quickly, my 2 year old grandson knows how to get out of his car saftey seatbelt, I had trouble getting him unbuckled oneday and asked him to help grandma, and he did it, plus, not that this has anything to do with seatbelts, but he knows how to operate my dvd player so that he can watch Thomas the Train when he comes to visit. I'm not finished with this, I'll continue to contact every goverment official that I can find an e-mail for, or I'll write letters. Too important to let slide.

Answer 1

Ha,im not in school,but when I was I thought the same thing.You do need seatbelts.I coudl never understand how we can be taxed for everything else,but when it comes to child/kid/teen safty they throw it out the window.Makes me sick.I totally agree with you.I think ill be writing some letter too!Good luck!

Answer 2

Ok to start out with Im the mom to two girls ages 8 and 5. My neighbor is a bus driver for the school here in town. The reason that buses don't have seat belts is bc in an accident god forbid the driver not be able to get to all 65 kids and be able to get them out safe. Think about it. 1 driver and that many kids! DUH...
I understand that you are concerned but cmon. Really the seats in the buses are higher for this purpose. That way if they have to stop or god forbid do have an accident the kids are protected but can still get off the bus.
My older daughter is going to a differnt state on a field trip at the end of this year. Im nervous about it. But not bc of the trip and the drive. More bc she hasn't be away from me that long before. You need to shut up unless you are in a position where you can change this.
Other wise Zip you mouth.

Answer 3

I used to think the same way. But I did some research and I felt that they shouldnt have seatbelts. Daycare care vans need them, but those regular big yellow buses should not. From what I read, the back of the seat in front of you acts like a cussion in the event of a car accident. They protect children like eggs in an egg carton. Also, in the event that the children are stuck inside the bus, rescue efforts would be much easier to get them out.

Answer 4

The reason there aren't seatbelts on buses isn't because of the cost. It's supposed to be because buses have a higher center of gravity and they are safer, therefore don't require them.

I personally went on a field trip with my 6 yr old last month and was getting tossed around a little. I am just thankful my kids don't ride the bus and nor do I intend for them to at any time in the near future!

Answer 5

I think that seat belts definitely save lives.I think that it is not only the question of cost but the fact how does the busdriver enforce seat belt use.Does the driver walk through the bus at every pick up or drop off location to ensure that seat belts are buckled? How does the bus driver concentrate on the road when (s)he must continually monitor seat belt use. I think that it would be better to have cameras to tape conduct on the bus.Unruly students or students who do not remain seated en route would get 1 written warning. Any further infractions would mean temporary or permanent suspension of bus privileges.People( adults and children) are allowed to stand on buses, commuter trains and subways. Safety should be an issue for all ages.I think that teaching children appropriate bus safety is just as important as a seat belt.Children who are smart enough to know how to work the VCR are smart enough to know that if they don't follow the bus rules that their parents will have to "bus" them to school. Safety is everyones responsibility.

Answer 6

I very much agree with you. I live near a town here that just lost four of it's students due to a horrible bus crash last week and how many of those four could have been saved if they would have had a seat belt. If I drive my child up the street to the store and get pulled over because she isn't wearing a seat belt I can be thrown in jail for child endangerment but the school doesn't have to follow this law and I find that absurd. I would love to join your vendeta in writing letters to every government official.

Answer 7

i think the excuse of to expensive is a crock of crap. it's an important issue and needs to be addressed. my son takes a bus and i've been on them for school field trips. at every turn, the kids have to hold on or fall out of their seats. not only that but they are supposed to sit two to a seat. half the older kids refuse to allow the younger ones to sit and they wind up sitting three to a seat which makes it even more dangerous.i don't agree with whomever said that the kids can't unbuckle themselves. that wouldn't stop one from buckling them in the car. why should a bus be any different? besides, if they're school age they very well can. even younger kids can. that is another lame excuse. in our area, there are a few districts that have the new buses with belts. unfortunately, ours isn't one of them. i completely agree that all buses should have seat belts. it has never made sense to me that they don't.

Answer 8

What I don't understand is my twins were four and too young to be out of a car-seat and yet they get on a bus and don't even have a seat-belt available? Doesn't make sense to me. That and almost every accident involving a bus is a roll-over. It doesn't matter how big the bus is, if it rolls over those kids need seat-belts. For the one who said just take drive them yourself, while that may be what I do, you are completely missing the point. For one thing my tax dollars are paying for these buses that to me are wholly unusable and for another, some people just don't have that option.

Answer 9

I think seatbelts on school buses is a good idea. They already offer them in my county (in GA) for those children who refused to remain seated. They have to be purchased at the expense of the parent, even though the bus driver and/or school require the student to have them. I wouldn't mind purchasing a seat belt for my children if the buses were equipped with the proper hardware for my children to hook up to. With the number of accidents that occur each day, we can't be too careful with our childrens safety.

Answer 10

Yes I absolutely do believe they should have seatbelts on the buses(they do in Florida as my daughter who is in kindergarten had to wear one....unfortunately we do not live there anymore) Unfortunately I am dealing with this issue right now myself. My other daughter, who is in preschool, just took a field trip to our local fire station. Thinking that they would ride the little headstart bus with seatbelts I let her go. Only to find out they rode a regular bus with no seatbelts and while driving down the road they hit a bump causing my daughter to fall out of her seat and hit her head! Now how is it right that my daughter who is almost 5 but only weighs 36 pounds is supposed to be in a car seat by law in my car but doesn't have to on a school bus? It is not right and not safe for her to be in a moving vehicle without some kind of protection!