Why aren't there seat belts on school buses and city buses?

Question

I am just wondering. They are always making quick stops. I'm wondering because when I was in school I had a crazy school bus driver and they would hit the brakes and I would always go flying down the aisle. Now the police are doing the click it or ticket thing and don't you think that's the FIRST place a seat belt should be?

Answer 1

Ok this question is asked a lot.  Before you go the completely why are they not doing this route here are some facts for you to consider.  Please no answers back that school bus drivers are lazy, stupid, drug addicts.  Really it is rather insulting considering you need a truck driver's license, a full background check, and regular drug checks in order to drive a school bus.

These are all facts proven by studies and I hope they make everyone think.

It is safer for a child to go to school in a school bus than in a car.  

If a school bus were to catch fire, a driver has less than 3 minutes to evacuate the bus. Before you say what about an electrical switch to release the seat belts, if there is a fire the electrical system will be comprimised.

If a bus were to flip over(remember the accident recently where 4 children died), children would be hung by their seat belts and the amount of internal injuries that would lead to death would be more than if the bus rolled over without children secured by seat belts.

The reason for no seat belts is that school buses have a system called compartment seating.  Meaning the seats are designed high enough, are enclosed enough and have padding to substain enough force to safely protect a child who is seated properly during an accident.  This means, sitting down, not half sitting down and feet in the aisle.  Personally in my experience, any good bus driver(and there are lot out there) will have control over the bus and remind the children to sit properly.

On top of the compartment style seating there are three crash bars on the side of the bus(those black bars), one to protect the neck and the head, one for the torso, and one for the legs.

Studies have proven time and time again that in the case of an accident(which are rare with school buses but do indeed happen), that more injuries and deaths will occur with seat belts than without.  

New York does have a seat belt law for school buses but is only one of a few that have that law, and yes more injuries occur.  

Now this information is on the web to find for anyone, but I asked this same question during my training as a school bus driver.

For the record as well, when an accident occurs with a school bus 98% of the time it happens because a car runs the school bus red lights at a stop.

So, safety and seat belts are a good concern, but the question really is, if these accidents are happening more frequently and the buses are designed the best way to take the impact and protect it's precious cargo, what laws are being made to get people to understand to drive carefully around school buses.

Just food for thought.

Answer 2

Because Public Safety has not caught up with the times.

My nine year old asked this question the other day.

She gets it, you with the adults making the laws would too. :)

Answer 3

As far as I know, there is no law on the books for seat belts in a bus or school bus. I drive a school bus for the Y.M.C.A. and we have seat belts in our bus. The children that ride on my bus know what the rules are and they all buckle up.

Answer 4

Compartmentalization, a concept seen frequently on commercial airplanes, involves seating passengers in rows of padded seats with cushioned backs.

The belief is that during frontal or rear impact, the most common types of wrecks involving school buses, passengers would either be pushed back into their seats or thrown forward into the padded backs of the row ahead.

The use of seat belts might require stiffer seats, which would negate the theory of compartmentalization.

It is also feared that some students would receive internal injuries from seat belts through a process called submarining, the tendency for a body to slide downwards during impact.

Seat belts on school buses may also hamper rescue or evacuation efforts, as adults or older students may have to spend precious minutes unbuckling young or disoriented passengers.

Unruly students could also use the heavy buckles as makeshift weapons, creating even more of a safety hazard.

There is also the argument that seat belts would only protect passengers of school buses during unusual events such as roll-overs or flips, not other possible accidents such as fires or submersion.

Considering the expense of retrofitting current school buses or replacing entire fleets with approved seat belt systems, the benefits of seat belt use do not currently outweigh the liabilities.

Answer 5

i have always wondered that.

i think its because in the event of a crash, it would take a lot of time to get 20+ kids out of seatbelts. believe it or not, its probably a safety precaution.

Answer 6

Compartmentilization theory is why there are no seat belts on school buses. As for safety, school buses are the safest vehicles to be in on the road. But, as for 3 minutes to evacuate a school bus, I work for school transportation, and the standard time is 45 seconds. Once the fire reaches the cab, you have 45 seconds before it is completely engulfed in flames. And, some states are now passing laws for seat belts to be on all buses, not just ese. But, also I do agree with the busdriver that commented on this question. Bus drivers are scrutinized constantly.

Consider their job. They have to drive a school bus with 60-65 screaming, fighting students. It is hard enough to drive safely with all the crazies on the road, let alone with students, who let me tell you are not angels.

Bus drivers are the most under-appreciated people I have ever seen. Yeah, there are always bad apples, that is everywhere. And believe me, their pay isnt that good for a CDL required job, and most of the time they cant get enough people to do the job. So have some respect, and thank your bus driver.

Answer 7

aaahhhh yes I believe this is the 4-5 question this week on this subject.can't you women ever for just one day shut off your mommy hormones.

Answer 8

buses with children aren't suppose to wreck..but thats a good question!!!!!!!!