Why don't school buses have seat belts?: "Why don't school buses have seat belts?
Otto
Dear Otto:
Two things all moms tell their kids -- don't smoke and always wear a seat belt. No problem on the not smoking, Ma -- but wearing a seat belt on the school bus? That's rarely an option. So what's the story? Shouldn't school buses have the same safety features as cars, trucks, and SUVs?
Well, not necessarily. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration argues that seat belts aren't the most effective way to protect passengers on school buses. Instead the big yellow beasts employ something called 'compartmentalization.'
Think back to your days on the good ol' school bus. Remember how those rigid green seats were wedged closer together than on even the cheapest no-frills airline? That's compartmentalization in action. Sitting in 'strong, closely-spaced seats that have energy-absorbing high seat backs,' passengers are effectively protected from crashes. Of course, the method can't prevent all injuries, but the NHTSA argues it's the best possible solution. Several studies have shown seat belts would provide 'little, if any, added protection.'
School districts are permitted to add seat belts to buses, but they also must make sure the seat belts are used properly. And as anyone who's ever ridden on a bus full of elementary school children knows, that's no easy task.
Even so, plenty of folks feel seat belts on school buses should be mandatory. The National Coalition for School Bus Safety believes compartmentalization doesn't protect against 'rear-end, lateral and rollover collisions.' And they contend that seat belts are affordable, even for cash-strapped school districts. "
