FOX16 Community

I do not think kids should wear seat belts on a bus. I drove bus for 12 years, both the "short bus" and the big buses. The special needs bus had several seat belts and wheel chairs. I had no aide to help on the bus due to funding. The children's risk to have a seat belt verses going with out one was greater. I make this point because wearing a seat belt on a bus is dangerous. The seats are high backed and straight. If a bus were in a collision, the child would suffer broken necks and head damage because they would be slammed into the seats they are sitting in or the windows. Without belts, they move with the impact but a shorter distance, while they would have injuries, they would not necessarily result in brain damage or death, which has been proven in crash testing. Bus seats are designed to cause the least amount of injury and hold up to the childrens "use" and abuse. The reason these bus seats cost so much when a parent has to replace one is because of their crash test passing ability.-dory

I was a school bus driver for LRSD.  It would be just wonderful to have our children in seat belts. But,  think about 25-30 children on your bus as young at 5, and an emergency happens,  accident, fire etc,   do you honestly think we can get all them little ones unbuckled fast enough to get them off the bus? There are alot of valid points being made about this subject.  But I myself was always worried if I could get my kids off my bus fast enough if something happened.

I have seen a DCFS worker and a Police officer people who as swarn to protec and serve take children away with out using a seat belt. so just remove the law or enforce it every where including but not limited to School Busses, police cars, DCFS workers and any other transport system.

puppypal:

I by no means argue that being buckled up is a bad thing. But when I drive my personal car and get a ticket for a seatbelt a guy on a motercyle will be passing me by without not only a seatbelt but a choice of riding without a helmet. Now before the police officer can finish the no seat belt ticket no doubt a school bus full of our children (Our Future) will pass my car also. They too have no seatbelts. How can anyone put a price on our future. The folks say it is too costly. Why not take all the ticket funds that the police recieve for the (click it or ticket) funds and put seatbelts on the public keyword city school buses. Public school buses....Or might I just say, Why are the folks that run our public school system get fined per student that doesn't have a seatbelt on.

        I do wear a seatbelt everyday, I am just a bit po'ed that the school system cares little about our futures adults of the world. Lets face it one day we mom's and dad's will get old and this world will depend on those children that ride that bus daily to school. What is your thoughts on the subject? Do you think I am all wet? Or do you think I make a valid point? Really wanting an honest opinion

Pudgygirl: (Another problem brought up was the lack of other adults to help monitor the children on the buses....I know there are MANY parents out there that are not full time employees and if they were truly concerned for their and other childrens welfare, they would volunteer to help in these areas that lack the funding needed to assist in properly watching over and/or teaching our children.

I have no children so to some folks I may be speaking out of turn but it doesn't mean I don't care, I am not employed either so I try to help the schools with volunteering when and where needed because I do care.)

 

      Very well said.You know, if we get started on the huge amount of parents complaining and the little they will actually do to fix a problem, No doubt that is one huge post in itself! LOL

    I know people that work at a plant that builds school buses and well to be honest...many school systems prefer to install sterio systems and school logos with left over funding than put seatbelts in. I guess that is why I brought it up in the first place.

Thanks for your reply

It truly isn't the cost of putting seatbelts in the buses...or making the kids sit down...it is FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY!!     unless, as someone suggested, parents riding the bus (if they have extra seats available) to help get everyone unbuckled in an emergency these kids are safer not being buckled in.  Even the most level headed kids in the world that are involved in a burning bus or a crash..can panic and  forget how to save themselves, including how to unbuckle a seatbelt.  One driver for 72 kids...you people do the math...