More Seat Belt Facts Worth Disseminating

By Ryan Gray | Senior Editor

In the February 2006 issue I wrote that the time for 3-point lap/shoulder belts has arrived. It was frankly an attempt to foster discussion on the topic - and all its myriad causes and effects. It was my hope to demonstrate how I think the industry needs to widen its focus on school bus safety and change the way it addresses seat belt proponents.

This month I address the latter.

The issue is not an easy one to solve, and for the most part I think the mainstream press is missing the boat, as many casual readers fail to know the talking points well enough to make an informed decision on the matter. Basically, everyone is for child safety, and seat belts on school buses are a great start. One would think, anyway, but delving into the issue certainly opens some eyes. I for one applaud Missouri Rep. Tim Flook for adding language into House Bill 1674 that gives the state a funding vehicle, and for finding that it makes the most sense to only install seat belts on newly purchased or leased buses. It's a start. Perhaps Missouri will serve as an example to other states that are considering similar laws, much in the way that California was an example by becoming the first state with the three-point belts last summer.

I immediately foresaw problems with Gov. Blunt's original request for retrofits. Yes, he is advocating even more safety for Missouri 's school-aged children, but his proposal is simply a plan designed to show his constituents that he is doing his job. Putting the seat belts on all school buses is simply a pipe dream. School bus distributors in Missouri recently concluded it could cost upwards of $16,500 per larger school bus to retrofit with lap/shoulder belts. Multiply that by the approximately 11,500 school buses currently operating in Missouri , and you can quickly see what kind of money we're talking about. It's not as easy as simply taking out the old bench seats and installing new ones with the restraints built in. For example the school bus floor on some of these buses, which could be 15 to 20 years old, must be replaced to withstand these heavier seats and the stresses put on seat anchorages during an accident; this when the cost of steel for the manufacturing process is at an all-time high. Then there's the issue of training, not only drivers but students. One would think that education wouldn't be much of an issue, as kids are basically taught from birth to buckle up in a car. But what about paying for bus monitors to help children in case there are problems with misadjusted belts? What about evacuations? What happens when a bus rolls over and lands upside down in a ravine filled with 20 feet of water as occurred in an accident in Alton , Texas , in 1990 that killed 29 passengers? What about an onboard fire like in Carrolton , Ky. , a year earlier that killed 27? Suddenly Flook's estimated $2.7 million a year doesn't go very far.

It's also problematic to raise the issue of lawsuits because, as we all know, in our litigant-crazed society you can basically sue for any reason under the sun. Be forewarned that seat belts won't solve this problem; it could actually make things worse.

When before you saw parents sue because "compartmentalization" didn't do enough to protect their child from an injury, I fear you may see future lawsuits resulting from other types of injuries kids may sustain from seat belts or if students are hurt or killed because they can't evacuate an accident in time.

Plainly and simply there are some highway crashes that are not survivable or in which there WILL be severe injuries, even death.

I also notice the bill exonerates the school district, school bus driver, teacher, etc. from financial responsibility in case of a crash. But realize loopholes could still exist for exploitation by attorneys. I've also talked with people who in one breath argue for school bus seat belts, but when the possibility of raising taxes to pay for them is mentioned, they respond with, "But my child doesn't use the school bus; why should I pay?" It's all or nothing. And I haven't yet mentioned the reduced seating capacity of buses that could result, forcing schools to add routes, buy new buses, hire and train new drivers, etc. And all with just $2.7 million appropriated from the fund each year? Certainly a conundrum for superintendents nationwide preparing budgets for next school year.

Then there's the possibility of some schools going out of the school bus business altogether over the next several decades because they can no longer afford the infrastructure. What happens then? More kids are driven to school by Mommy, Daddy or the high school kid next door. The federal figures that show school buses are 100 times safer than these other modes of transportation during the normal school commute hours suddenly resonate with much greater immediacy.