ALT-4 Should School Buses have and Enforce Seat Belt use – No
Following any type of accident, particularly where children are involved, our initial instinct is to 'do something' to prevent it happening again. These instincts are by definition reactionary and not usually based on logical conclusion after an examination of facts. No one wants to see children hurt or killed. And, it only makes sense that, if seat belts protect us in our cars - and their use is mandated by law - then we do school children an injustice by denying them such protection.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a division of the Department of Transportation, has determined that children riding in a school bus, without a seat-belt, are eight times safer than riding in a car with one. The approximate 26,000 school bus crashes each year result in an average of 10 deaths, 25 percent of which are drivers. They further report that seat design, known as compartmentalization, is far more important for protection during a crash than seat-belts. Higher seat backs, more padding and less room between seats, creates a "natural barrier" guarding against serious injury and ejection.
The differences in cars and buses changes the dynamics of impact in a crash. The rider of a school bus sits much higher than a car passenger, carrying him above the impact zone. Bus riders do not face the same impact hazards as car passengers. The danger of hitting the steering wheel, dashboard or the engine are close to nil. Occupants are most likely to hit the seat in front of them. Thus the benefits of compartmentalization.
Tests by the NHTSA and it's Canadian counterpart, Transport Canada, show that seat-belts, including shoulder harnesses, actually increase the likelihood and severity of head and neck injury. The restraint of the torso coupled with the dynamics of the impact on a plane beneath the rider does more harm than good.
In a press release from the NHTSA, dated July 11, 2007, we find that of 21 deaths of school aged children involving bus collisions, only 6 of them occurred inside the bus. The other 15 were pedestrians in close proximity to the accident. It seems the danger zone for school bus fatalities is a ten-foot perimeter outside the bus. By contrast, in 1996 five high school football players died from injuries suffered on the playing field and another nine were permanently paralyzed; an additional twelve deaths resulted from heart failure, heatstroke and other causes off the field, either post game or during practice. Each year public school buses travel more than 4.3 billion miles to transport 23.5 million children to and from school and school related activities with 0.2 deaths per 100 million miles.
The most common cause of bus related collisions is a passing motorist, who is either ignorant of laws concerning buses or simple not paying attention. Further research and development of bus seat and interior design is certainly warranted. But, perhaps the most effective means of improving the safety for school bus riders is education, not only of bus drivers and the children themselves, but of other motorists and pedestrians.
Our gut reaction is to protect our children and it is a good one. The fact is, it is dangerous out there and despite our best efforts accidents happen. Right now, there is no safer place to travel to and from school than inside a school bus. Can more be done? Sure! But let's not make matters worse in exchange for a warm fuzzy feeling.
