The National Safety Council supports methods and procedures that effectively provide safe transportation of pupils aboard school buses. The Council believes that until further research and testing demonstrate that pupils will be safer by the installation of seat belts in school buses, passive protection provided by compartmentalization, as required by the current (1977) federal standard on school bus seating and crash protection, protects seated pupil passengers in school buses with gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWR) greater than 10,000 pounds. (Compartmentalization involves protecting each passegner by the seat, the seat back, and the back of the seat or restraining barrier immediately in front of it.) The Council also recommends additional research regarding pupil passenger safety in and around school buses, especially as related to seat belts.

Approved by the Board Governmental Relations Committee, April 17, 1986
Approvated by the Board of Directors, April 17, 1986

Supersedes policy approved by the
Motor Transportation Division, May 2, 1984
Executive Committee, Board of Directors, June 28, 1984
Board of Directors, October 16, 1984

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