Seat Belts In Schools Essay
Seat Belts on School Buses
Research suggests that school buses are safer with seat belts in them. A seat belt secures the child or passenger on the bus and also protects the body in a collision. In this essay, the issue focused on will be the importance of seat belts on school buses. Included will be examples of the cost associated with installing safety belts. Next, will be some examples of bus related accidents. Finally, how the seat belt can protect the passenger.
Since 2003, there were 348,253 fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those, 1,222 (0.33%) have been classified as school-transportation related according to the U.S Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety and Administration. There is no doubt seat belts save lives. Cars, trucks and buses get into accidents daily, across our country.
There are numerous reasons as to …show more content…
why buses do not have seat belts. The designers of modern school buses have developed a passive system called compartmentalization. Packing seats closer together and using a 4-inch thick foam to form a protective seat back. Another reason why most buses do not have seat belts is due to the cost of installation, which could be anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000 according to Christopher MacKechnie. Also, installing seat belts takes up more room than the passive system. Therefore it would reduce the number of children on these buses. Federal regulators maintain that school buses are safe. The design of school busses has not changed since 1977. Christopher MacKechnie goes on to say that the “compartmentalization system, which is the design concept of using tall seat backs that are padded with energy-absorbing construction material, and covering all metal with the same energy- absorbing material, and the spacing between each seat is closer together, it also outlines the interior and exterior of the bus.” It is strong enough to protect children. Federal regulators insist school buses are safe.
STN Editor, 2009 stated “an estimated cost of $1,500 to $3,000 per bus to install two-point lap belts, which is about 2 percent of the cost of a typical small $60,000 school bus. The additional cost to install two-point lap belts on all new large school buses would fluctuate between $37.5 million to $60 million annually.” The cost of a seat belt is an average of $1.50 to $2.00 per child. That is not much when you compare it to what the cost could be if a student is injured in a bus related accident.
Safeguard Seat is an article written to inform the audience that installing seat belts on school busses will not only protect our children during an accident, but will also save their lives. This source also goes on to say that adding seat belts will not reduce the capacity of children riding on the buses, nor does it cost more to install the seat belts. IMMI uses a system called Smart Frame technology, making transportation safer. Safeguard is a brand of IMMI and the leading provider of the 3-point seat belts, portable child restraints, and safety testing in the school bus industry. IMMI is the first company to introduce the 3-point lap-shoulder belts on school buses. IMMI is home to the Center for Advanced Product Evaluation, which has crash tested school buses in order to improve the safety and quality of the seat belts. It is important to understand every aspect about installing seat belts on our buses, from the cost associated with the installation to the safety of our children. US regulations only require seat belts on smaller buses under the gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less. The National Transportation Department states “School bus transportation is one of the safest forms of transportation.” The National Transportation Department also states, “These accidents are by far fewer than accidents that involve a motor vehicle transporting a child to school.” Statistics state that school buses are the safest form of transportation. Perhaps with the increase in speed limits, cell phone use, and text messaging there is a greater risk for accidents to arise. Also the National Transportation Department does not include accident’s that involve a drunk driver hitting a school bus in these statistics. They also do not report accidents that transpire while on trips, sporting events, or other events out of school. Following are a few examples of bus related accidents that have caused children to lose their lives. “Tennessee School Bus Driver Was Texting Before Deadly Crash, Police Say”. On December 3, 2014 a Tennessee school bus driver was sending and receiving text messages when he crashed his school bus, killing two students and a teacher’s aide according to CBS/AP news. Among the accident two dozen other students endured injuries. The driver of the school bus collided with another school bus on a highway. The second bus had flipped on its side, killing three people on that bus. Both buses carried many children. Consequently, when the bus flipped on to its side, it threw the children out of their seats and onto the floor. The children on the buses happened to be on their way home from school. Driver distraction was the cause of the accident, sending and receiving text messages.
Another example of a school bus related accident is one that occurred in Nebraska in September of 2012, when a school bus collided with a tractor-trailer, hence causing both vehicles to catch on fire. For this reason four people perished, two were students, one was the bus driver and the other was the driver of the tractor-trailer. Four other students also on the bus received serious injuries. This school bus was also delivering children home from school. The bus was traveling down a gravel road, when it approached the intersection with no stop sign or yield sign when it collided with the tractor-trailer. As a result of these accidents, passengers of these buses sadly died. Neither one of these buses had seat belts installed on them.
Most states in the United States don't require buses to have seat belts. In the United States California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Texas have laws written to require some type of seat belt installation on school buses.
According to Hastings, R. (2011), an average year 8,000 children are injured in bus related accidents and nine children die each year. Hastings also provides us with very important safety tips for parents to review with their children regarding bus safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that safety belts help prevent serious injuries in 5 different ways.
Seat belts are required by law to be used in vehicles (Orenstein). Why are they not mandatory for school buses as well? Beth Orenstein goes into great detail about the five different ways that seat belts can help prevent anyone from serious injuries.
• Seat belts keep the occupant of the vehicle inside the vehicle
• It restrains the strongest parts of the body
• Spreads out the force of the collision.
• Seat belts help the body slow down
• Protects the brain and spinal cord as well as other internal organs.
Students not wearing seatbelts can be thrown out of their seats when the school bus stops suddenly or makes a quick turn. Injuries can occur when this happens such as cuts, bruises and even broken bones. Safety belts can prevent these injuries. They keep the child secure in their seat, so they are not being thrown out of their seat when the bus has to make these sudden moves. Research performed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission during 2001-2003 state “some 51,100 children up to the age of nineteen were injured in a bus related accident during the study period.” “All were nonfatal injuries but occurred on buses without seatbelts.
The article written by Safeguard for kids-“No More Excuses” explains that every year more than 17,000 injuries occur on school buses. This source supports the points about how buses transport children to sporting activities, field trips, and other types of events, going more than 55 miles per hour on highways without the use of seat belts. In the past several years speed limits have increased to 80 miles per hour on the interstates and 70 miles per hour on highways. Then you add the distraction of cell phone use, radios, and other interruptions to that equation, serious accidents are bound to happen. This article also stated that the cost of equipping a bus with safeguard seat belts is less than $5.00 per year for each child. That is not much when it comes to the safety of these children.
There are many concerns to the drivers of these buses when it comes to adding seat belts. Such as; children not staying in the seat belts, or if an emergency occurs children will not be able to remove their seat belt quickly enough to evacuate the bus. Also bus drivers are concerned whether or not they would be held legally liable if a child was injured in an accident if the child was not wearing the seat belt properly according to the National Education Association (2002-2015). Bus drivers are screened and required to undergo extensive training that involve ensuring passenger safety. They have to train in first aid, road safety and also have to observe all traffic rules and road safety. Even with all the training these school bus drivers receive, there’s some concerns for the parents allowing their children to get on these buses with no seat belts. The increased speed limits and cell phone use, which are distraction to those bus drivers. The National Education Association also did an online poll “Seat belts, School Buses and Safety (2002-2015) to determine what percentage of the population feels school buses should have seat belts. They found that 53% of the respondent’s favored seat belts, while 47% were opposed.
Martha Meade with AAA-Mid Atlantic made a statement in the article “Federal regulators push for seat belts on school buses” WRIC Newsroom (2015), “stating that a seat belt in a school bus would have to be configured for a five year old and an 18 year old. Vastly different restraint systems would be needed. The government is hoping by installing these seat belts the number of deaths will go down. Since 2015 the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration have been pushing for seat belts on school buses.
Valerie Williams “Seat Belt on School Buses are a No-Brainer, But no Law Requires them”, quoted the National Association for Public Transportation stating they acknowledge that seat belts should be dealt with at the state and local level rather than the federal level. State and local school districts are better able to recognize and analyze school transportation risks, particularly in their area.
Buses transport children to and from school daily, traveling with children for many miles. In small, rural communities buses even carry children for long distances to sporting events and or on field trips. These trips can go distances, sometimes greater than 250 miles. None of these buses have seat belts on them for the safety of our children. In smaller more rural communities often more children are riding school buses to and from school. These buses do not have seat belts on them. Most of these events take place during the winter time while school is in session. These communities have to contend with speed limits, cell phone use, and also the ice, snow, and slippery roads. Installing seat belts on these buses will better protect the children riding the buses. Installing seat belts on school buses would help slow their bodies down in a collision.
Safety of students is the first priority, there should be no question when it comes to school bus safety: adding seat belts will lessen our anxiety. If all school buses were required to install safety belts for our children there would be less chance of them getting seriously injured or even prevent some if not all of the deaths that occur. Also if seat belts were installed in each bus, it would secure all passengers and prevent them from jumping or moving about the bus, which would reduce the distraction to the driver. One person in six (17%) who was wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash was hospitalized compared to one person in three (32%) who was not wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash (NHTSA, 2005) As stated above research shows that seat belts save lives because they restrict your body from moving during an accident, keep the person in their seat, and also it is the law in the United States.
Federal regulators should require seat belts to be installed on all school buses, because they will help secure the child and/or passenger.
It would help to prevent serious injuries and it would also save lives. Since 2003 1,222 traffic accidents were classified as school transportation related. During 2001-2003 51,100 children were injured in bus accidents, an average of five children die each year from these accidents. One source states that equipping a school bus with a two-point lap belt can cost $1,500 to $3,000 per bus that equals $1.50 to $2.00 per child. Another source stated that equipping a school bus with the safeguard seat belt is less than $5.00 per year for each child. With more school buses equipped with seatbelts children and passengers will be secured in their seats. This will result in less injuries and most importantly fewer deaths each year. For these reasons seat belts would benefit the safety of children and passengers on school buses, it would also ease the anxiety of parents sending their children on buses. Installation of seat belts on school buses should be
encouraged.
Research suggests that school buses are safer with seat belts in them. A seat belt secures the child or passenger on the bus and also protects the body in a collision. In this essay, the issue focused on will be the importance of seat belts on school buses. Included will be examples of the cost associated with installing safety belts. Next, will be some examples of bus related accidents. Finally, how the seat belt can protect the passenger.
Since 2003, there were 348,253 fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those, 1,222 (0.33%) have been classified as school-transportation related according to the U.S Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety and Administration. There is no doubt seat belts save lives. Cars, trucks and buses get into accidents daily, across our country.
There are numerous reasons as to …show more content…
why buses do not have seat belts. The designers of modern school buses have developed a passive system called compartmentalization. Packing seats closer together and using a 4-inch thick foam to form a protective seat back. Another reason why most buses do not have seat belts is due to the cost of installation, which could be anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000 according to Christopher MacKechnie. Also, installing seat belts takes up more room than the passive system. Therefore it would reduce the number of children on these buses. Federal regulators maintain that school buses are safe. The design of school busses has not changed since 1977. Christopher MacKechnie goes on to say that the “compartmentalization system, which is the design concept of using tall seat backs that are padded with energy-absorbing construction material, and covering all metal with the same energy- absorbing material, and the spacing between each seat is closer together, it also outlines the interior and exterior of the bus.” It is strong enough to protect children. Federal regulators insist school buses are safe.
STN Editor, 2009 stated “an estimated cost of $1,500 to $3,000 per bus to install two-point lap belts, which is about 2 percent of the cost of a typical small $60,000 school bus. The additional cost to install two-point lap belts on all new large school buses would fluctuate between $37.5 million to $60 million annually.” The cost of a seat belt is an average of $1.50 to $2.00 per child. That is not much when you compare it to what the cost could be if a student is injured in a bus related accident.
Safeguard Seat is an article written to inform the audience that installing seat belts on school busses will not only protect our children during an accident, but will also save their lives. This source also goes on to say that adding seat belts will not reduce the capacity of children riding on the buses, nor does it cost more to install the seat belts. IMMI uses a system called Smart Frame technology, making transportation safer. Safeguard is a brand of IMMI and the leading provider of the 3-point seat belts, portable child restraints, and safety testing in the school bus industry. IMMI is the first company to introduce the 3-point lap-shoulder belts on school buses. IMMI is home to the Center for Advanced Product Evaluation, which has crash tested school buses in order to improve the safety and quality of the seat belts. It is important to understand every aspect about installing seat belts on our buses, from the cost associated with the installation to the safety of our children. US regulations only require seat belts on smaller buses under the gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or less. The National Transportation Department states “School bus transportation is one of the safest forms of transportation.” The National Transportation Department also states, “These accidents are by far fewer than accidents that involve a motor vehicle transporting a child to school.” Statistics state that school buses are the safest form of transportation. Perhaps with the increase in speed limits, cell phone use, and text messaging there is a greater risk for accidents to arise. Also the National Transportation Department does not include accident’s that involve a drunk driver hitting a school bus in these statistics. They also do not report accidents that transpire while on trips, sporting events, or other events out of school. Following are a few examples of bus related accidents that have caused children to lose their lives. “Tennessee School Bus Driver Was Texting Before Deadly Crash, Police Say”. On December 3, 2014 a Tennessee school bus driver was sending and receiving text messages when he crashed his school bus, killing two students and a teacher’s aide according to CBS/AP news. Among the accident two dozen other students endured injuries. The driver of the school bus collided with another school bus on a highway. The second bus had flipped on its side, killing three people on that bus. Both buses carried many children. Consequently, when the bus flipped on to its side, it threw the children out of their seats and onto the floor. The children on the buses happened to be on their way home from school. Driver distraction was the cause of the accident, sending and receiving text messages.
Another example of a school bus related accident is one that occurred in Nebraska in September of 2012, when a school bus collided with a tractor-trailer, hence causing both vehicles to catch on fire. For this reason four people perished, two were students, one was the bus driver and the other was the driver of the tractor-trailer. Four other students also on the bus received serious injuries. This school bus was also delivering children home from school. The bus was traveling down a gravel road, when it approached the intersection with no stop sign or yield sign when it collided with the tractor-trailer. As a result of these accidents, passengers of these buses sadly died. Neither one of these buses had seat belts installed on them.
Most states in the United States don't require buses to have seat belts. In the United States California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Texas have laws written to require some type of seat belt installation on school buses.
According to Hastings, R. (2011), an average year 8,000 children are injured in bus related accidents and nine children die each year. Hastings also provides us with very important safety tips for parents to review with their children regarding bus safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that safety belts help prevent serious injuries in 5 different ways.
Seat belts are required by law to be used in vehicles (Orenstein). Why are they not mandatory for school buses as well? Beth Orenstein goes into great detail about the five different ways that seat belts can help prevent anyone from serious injuries.
• Seat belts keep the occupant of the vehicle inside the vehicle
• It restrains the strongest parts of the body
• Spreads out the force of the collision.
• Seat belts help the body slow down
• Protects the brain and spinal cord as well as other internal organs.
Students not wearing seatbelts can be thrown out of their seats when the school bus stops suddenly or makes a quick turn. Injuries can occur when this happens such as cuts, bruises and even broken bones. Safety belts can prevent these injuries. They keep the child secure in their seat, so they are not being thrown out of their seat when the bus has to make these sudden moves. Research performed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission during 2001-2003 state “some 51,100 children up to the age of nineteen were injured in a bus related accident during the study period.” “All were nonfatal injuries but occurred on buses without seatbelts.
The article written by Safeguard for kids-“No More Excuses” explains that every year more than 17,000 injuries occur on school buses. This source supports the points about how buses transport children to sporting activities, field trips, and other types of events, going more than 55 miles per hour on highways without the use of seat belts. In the past several years speed limits have increased to 80 miles per hour on the interstates and 70 miles per hour on highways. Then you add the distraction of cell phone use, radios, and other interruptions to that equation, serious accidents are bound to happen. This article also stated that the cost of equipping a bus with safeguard seat belts is less than $5.00 per year for each child. That is not much when it comes to the safety of these children.
There are many concerns to the drivers of these buses when it comes to adding seat belts. Such as; children not staying in the seat belts, or if an emergency occurs children will not be able to remove their seat belt quickly enough to evacuate the bus. Also bus drivers are concerned whether or not they would be held legally liable if a child was injured in an accident if the child was not wearing the seat belt properly according to the National Education Association (2002-2015). Bus drivers are screened and required to undergo extensive training that involve ensuring passenger safety. They have to train in first aid, road safety and also have to observe all traffic rules and road safety. Even with all the training these school bus drivers receive, there’s some concerns for the parents allowing their children to get on these buses with no seat belts. The increased speed limits and cell phone use, which are distraction to those bus drivers. The National Education Association also did an online poll “Seat belts, School Buses and Safety (2002-2015) to determine what percentage of the population feels school buses should have seat belts. They found that 53% of the respondent’s favored seat belts, while 47% were opposed.
Martha Meade with AAA-Mid Atlantic made a statement in the article “Federal regulators push for seat belts on school buses” WRIC Newsroom (2015), “stating that a seat belt in a school bus would have to be configured for a five year old and an 18 year old. Vastly different restraint systems would be needed. The government is hoping by installing these seat belts the number of deaths will go down. Since 2015 the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration have been pushing for seat belts on school buses.
Valerie Williams “Seat Belt on School Buses are a No-Brainer, But no Law Requires them”, quoted the National Association for Public Transportation stating they acknowledge that seat belts should be dealt with at the state and local level rather than the federal level. State and local school districts are better able to recognize and analyze school transportation risks, particularly in their area.
Buses transport children to and from school daily, traveling with children for many miles. In small, rural communities buses even carry children for long distances to sporting events and or on field trips. These trips can go distances, sometimes greater than 250 miles. None of these buses have seat belts on them for the safety of our children. In smaller more rural communities often more children are riding school buses to and from school. These buses do not have seat belts on them. Most of these events take place during the winter time while school is in session. These communities have to contend with speed limits, cell phone use, and also the ice, snow, and slippery roads. Installing seat belts on these buses will better protect the children riding the buses. Installing seat belts on school buses would help slow their bodies down in a collision.
Safety of students is the first priority, there should be no question when it comes to school bus safety: adding seat belts will lessen our anxiety. If all school buses were required to install safety belts for our children there would be less chance of them getting seriously injured or even prevent some if not all of the deaths that occur. Also if seat belts were installed in each bus, it would secure all passengers and prevent them from jumping or moving about the bus, which would reduce the distraction to the driver. One person in six (17%) who was wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash was hospitalized compared to one person in three (32%) who was not wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash (NHTSA, 2005) As stated above research shows that seat belts save lives because they restrict your body from moving during an accident, keep the person in their seat, and also it is the law in the United States.
Federal regulators should require seat belts to be installed on all school buses, because they will help secure the child and/or passenger.
It would help to prevent serious injuries and it would also save lives. Since 2003 1,222 traffic accidents were classified as school transportation related. During 2001-2003 51,100 children were injured in bus accidents, an average of five children die each year from these accidents. One source states that equipping a school bus with a two-point lap belt can cost $1,500 to $3,000 per bus that equals $1.50 to $2.00 per child. Another source stated that equipping a school bus with the safeguard seat belt is less than $5.00 per year for each child. With more school buses equipped with seatbelts children and passengers will be secured in their seats. This will result in less injuries and most importantly fewer deaths each year. For these reasons seat belts would benefit the safety of children and passengers on school buses, it would also ease the anxiety of parents sending their children on buses. Installation of seat belts on school buses should be
encouraged.