ALT-4 Should Seat Belts be Required on School Buses
Focusing on the Safety on School Buses
With all the hoopla regarding individuals to buckle up in our society, it appears as if laws are pretty lenient when it comes to school buses. Many accidents involving school buses nationwide should obtain far more focus than usual. For instance, if we compare a loaded school bus to a carton of eggs, especially when our young children are aboard, the thought of an accident, whether serious or not, increase safety concerns. If an egg carton is dropped, and contain eleven eggs and one rock, the rock will be the only item not harmed. If there is an accident involving a school bus, the driver will be more than to sustain minor to no injuries, depending on the severity of the incident.
For the most part, while seatbelt laws require children to be properly placed in cars seats until they reach a certain age, height, and sometimes weight, then look at the safety of children ranging from ages three to eight. Many children in these age groups are not placed in car seats, but most of them are seated in pairs, and are strapped in together with only one seatbelt, and as needed. For the children known to have behavior problems in this age group, some buses are equipped with a harnessing device, which should be required for all children in this age group.
In many states where severe weather occurs each year, school bus accidents can happen anytime, especially in Michigan, Colorado, New York, and other states that are known to have winter storms, black ice, high winds, and more. In knowing this, wouldn't it make since to impose a law that requires all students, in all age groups, to buckle up? Accidents happen anytime, and the safety of our youth should be high priority. School buses are used for more activities than just for transporting students to and from school, but they are also used for field trips, transporting athletes to and from organized sports events and more. At any given time, even during clear sunny days, accidents can and will happen, and the safety of children is a serious issue that need to be focused on more in depth.
The Need for keeping students of all ages safe on school buses is not the only problem; city transportation has issues of concern as well. Senior citizens and other passengers should have to buckle up too. Safety on public and school transportation, and private vehicles, should be taking seriously and there should be a great effort made to create a means to bring this issue to the table and set requirements for laws to be set for the safety of all types of individuals, nationwide.
