Chapter of the National Coalition for School Bus Safety supports S.B. 177, which would require seatbelts on all new school buses. Our organization has been actively monitoring school bus safety and collecting data for over 15 years. The arguments against seatbelts on school buses are being discredited and attributed to self-serving economically motivated groups. The public is becoming more aware of the truly valid reasons for their installation and use.
Opponents say that seat belts on large school buses are harmful to small children.
If this is true then why is there a child restraint law in every state. Seat belts on school buses have been endorsed by the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American College of Preventative Medicine, Physicians for Automotive Safety, The Center for Auto Safety, and the Firemarshalls Association. Opponents claim that seatbelts on school buses are not cost effective and that School buses have an excellent safety record. The National Safety Council reports that about 13,000 pupil-passengers were injured on school buses last year. The preliminary data from New Jersey where seat belts are mandated shows lower morbidity and mortality rates on school bus crashes.