Although this is the third state this year that I've been asked to speak with legislators, I still find myself getting nervous. The question of how to best protect our children on school buses inspired our research and development. We market two and three-point seat belt restraints for school buses. I am not going to elaborate on our two and three-point restraint systems other than to mention that our systems have met or exceeded all federal motor vehicle safety standards in independent testing.
Most people are familiar with the increase in safety from the use of seat belts.
They don't have to wear them on their school buses and often that behavior carries over to when they get their own cars. The arguments against seatbelts on school buses defy logic. Our nations buses rely on compartmentalization, which and ONLY during a frontal or rear impact the seat backs absorb the crash forces of the body. Compartmentalization offers no protection or safety from a side or rollover accident. Unfortunately you can't buy a car today without belts and you can't operate one without using them either, so you can't try this theory out in practice, unless of course you're a student.