School Bus Safety

Yesterday must have been the day for bus drivers to travel their route in preparation for picking up students next Tuesday morning.  There were so many busses on the roads in our community that you would have thought it was a school day for kids and all of the schools dismissed at one time. 

I imagine that instead of dismissing from school sites, they all left the bus barn at the same time after a meeting to go over rules and procedures, check radio communication, agonize over road construction (a major expressway is under construction, cutting across the northern part of our district from east to west.)

It is my understanding that there are several states have have recently installed seat belts in school busses.  That topic has been an on-and-off hot button here for almost 30 years.  The bus company argues that each rider is allotted a 12 inch width of "butt space," and if students are properly 'packed in' - three to a seat, they are sufficiently wedged in to eliminate the need for seat restraints.  Of course, each time the topic is discussed, there are questions about redistribution when riders are absent (no way - assigned seating,) sparse ridership at the senior highs because so many students have cars, and .......have you measured the width of a child 12 years or older - 12 inches puts student number three half-way in the aisle - one cheek on and one cheek off.....

I will be interested to hear what states that have enacted the seat belt rule learn about rider safety, frequency of use, enforcement of use, etc.  Are the belting devices like a car belt with a woven belt and a buckle (great for slingshot action,  lost front teeth, etc.) or amusement park roller coaster style with drop down armatures (......if there is pressure on the seat, the arm moves into position).....tough problem with many solutions.  Of course, the final discussion was also $$$$$$ and tax payer dollars here (still no restraint system)....hmmmm...but that discussion didn't change in the states that have implemented!

Watch for those busses!!