Why don't you have to use a car seat in a school bus?

Answer 1

I used to drive a 40 foot school bus. During our training, the question came up, and here is the reasoning we were given:

A full size bus is massive, and is constructed in such way as to provide maximum protection for it's passengers. It is so much larger than most other vehicles on the road that, in a collision, an impact that may total out a passenger car may only remove paint from the bus. I never agreed that this was enough protection for the children, considering that there was, still, plenty of OTHER vehicles on the road, as massive or even larger than the bus.

Another justification involved, as another person mentioned, that in a serious collision, with major damage and risks for the children, that a single driver would have difficulty unfastening sixty or more belts from what may be very small children. This reasoning was also a bit bothersome, since it sounded like the justification many people use to use (and still do), that "if the vehicle crashed into a river or lake, and an occupant was unconscious, being locked in a seat belt would cause him to drown, because he couldn't get out." This reasoning was extremely weak, because the chance of being involved in such a situation was remote, compared with the likelyhood of being involved in so many OTHER situations where a seat belt could save a life.

The final reason I was given was that school bus drivers go through such extensive safety training, so, that we are less likely to even BE in a collision, minimizing the need for seat belts. I had to roll my eyes over THAT answer, as well. It sounded like the argument many bikers used to protest helmet laws for motorcycles. They claimed that they were such experts at riding motorcycles that they were less likely to even HAVE any kind of accident requiring head protection. Weak argument, at best, because all my defensive driving training convinced me that it is the OTHER drivers that a good driver had to watch out for.

My bottom line is, that I am convinced that the reason for NOT installing safety equipment is economics. If a government agency does not require the equipment, the manufacturers usually choose not to include it. This has been the case over a long period of time. Many safety features had to wait for government regulations before the builders would design it into their products: safety belts, airbags, headrests, crumple zones, etc.

Answer 2

Well right now because there are no seat belts to hold the car seat in. I believe buses have not been equipped with seat belts because the risk factors (done by government agencies and insurance companies) note that in a collision (not with a train or big rig) the bus would barely be moved due to it's weight and length. The impact would resonate less through the structure because of its size and therefore not harm the occupants. I think they should have them but the problem would be if there was a fire or serious accident with children involved you want them to be able to get off the bus as quickly as possible and that would be an issue with 40 kids on a bus especially younger kids. It's a very tough call.

Answer 3

The answer is in your question...

A school bus isn't a car.

For the very same reasons that many are not constructed with seat belts, there is no need for a "car" seat in a bus.

Compartmentalization and the general construction of the padded seats minimizes the need for it. Plus in an emergency, when a bus would have to be evacuated quickly, can you imagine how hard it would be to get everyone out of even just seat belts? ... let alone "car" seats.

Everyone always throws out the money as the a main reason that seat belts are not present. The government doesn't require them, so why would the manufacturer's provide them? While I agree funding could certainly be a factor, consider the following. Neither lap nor lap-and-shoulder belts on a bus provide the same type of protection offered in a car. During a head-on collision, the most common type for buses, lap belts alone can increase the risk of injury. On impact, this type of restraint allows a passenger's head to jerk forward, risking severe head and neck injury. Lap AND shoulder belts would require the installation of stiffer seats. These seats could become a source of impact injury. Studies also showed that children can slip downwards when restrained by lap and shoulder belts, risking injury to vulnerable internal organs.

In 1999, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) examined the effect of seat belt installation in buses. They came to the conclusion that seat belts actually would result in head injuries and fatalities. In fact, the NTSB found a relationship between most injuries/deaths and the seating position of the passenger. In these cases, the presence of seat belts would change nothing.

While there is no evidence proving that seat belts on buses save lives, there is reason to worry they MAY CAUSE HARM. During an emergency, as already mentioned, seat belts could hinder young children from quickly exiting the bus; they simply could not free themselves. Drivers would be hard pressed to monitor belt usage for every student. And the heavy buckles could be used as weapons.

Studies by federal agencies, including the NTSB and NHTSA, have shown bus construction and compartmentalization provides greater safety than seat belts ever could. Comparing the design of a school bus to a car is like comparing apples to oranges. Where belts protect passengers during car collisions, their presence may cause severe injuries on a bus. Seatbelts are only required on small buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds because their design more closely resembles a car. It is ironic, but the reality is that seat belts have no place on most school buses and likewise, "car" seats.

I know that isn't always the popular position, but it's what most of the facts support.

Answer 4

I was a safety officer for a 150 bus private fleet in North Dakota for seven years. If we had to haul children that, due to height or weight, qualified for a car seat, we used them on school buses.
Take a look at any bus used by Head Start for that matter - you'll see a lot of car seats.
If you actually meant to ask about seat-belts on regular school buses, that's a different matter.

Answer 5

Because its expensive to put seatbelts on buses. It only raises the cost of a new bus slightly to have it have seatblets, but its significantly higher to retrofit a bus with them once its already made. Also, putting seatbelts in lowers the number of students that fit on the bus, meaning that if seatbelts were mandated on buses lots of school districts would have to turn down bus applications from students or purchase more buses. And little buses DO require child restraints for children under 4. Its only big buses that don't. The compartmentalization effect that is supposed to protect kids in a bus wreck doesn't work for really little kids. However, kids are still safer even unrestrained, in a bus than in a car, just b/c of its volume and size.

Answer 6

i think of it fairly is a sturdy thought. i do no longer think of it may take them too a lot longer to get off the bus than it does now. the youngsters could understand their provide up replaced into coming and characteristic their seat belt undone long in the previous the bus got here to an entire provide up. I additionally think of having seat belts on the bus could ward off all those childrens from status up at the same time as the bus is going. daily as quickly as I p.c.. my childrens up from college we fallow 2 buses by using city, and all the way by using city greater or less a million/3 to a million/2 of the bus childrens are status in the aisle way or of their seat. Had that been my childrens in my automobile dealing with city status up i could get pulled over and fined. additionally the only injury you suggested replaced into loss of life. What approximately different attainable injuries which could result from a bus accident? What if shall we are saying the bus replaced into in a roll over accident those childrens could be tossed around like popcorn in a popcorn popper. broken bones, busted noses, concussion, and so on all that could have been prevented by using the uncomplicated use of a seat belt. and that i'm confident those injuries have befell.

Answer 7

Good question. SOme states are looking into making it a law. Some of the new buses are being equipted with seat belts also

Answer 8

funny i know exactly why, because my dad is a member of the goverment and the answer is that the goverment simply think it is a waste of mooney because the chances are really low of an accident but they are looking in to the law. by the way apples taste nice

Answer 9

because not everbody needs them. only little kids or otherwise small people need them for safety reasons.