July 2007 Editor's Letter
By: Jill Pinheiro

Last November, about two hours north of where I live, a school bus carrying 40 students fell off a highway overpass in Huntsville , Alabama , killing four teenagers. The bus was not equipped with seat belts, which sparked a debate over the safety of school transportation and whether passenger restraints should be a requirement in school buses.

There are two camps of thinking on this subject. From a federal perspective, a May 2006 article by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) entitled "Seat Belts on School Buses" presents the following:

* NHTSA's 2002 Report to Congress found that the addition of lap belts did not improve occupant protection for the severe frontal impacts that were studied for that report.

* The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded in a 1987 study of school bus crashes that most fatalities and injuries occurred because the occupant seating positions were in direct line with the crash forces.

* In 1989, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) completed a study of ways to improve school bus safety and concluded that the overall potential benefits of requiring seat belts on large school buses were insufficient to justify a Federal mandate for installation.

On the other hand, organizations such as the National Coalition for School Bus Safety (NCSBS) are heavy proponents of seat belts in school buses. According to the NCSBS:

* Seatbelts are 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, and Center for Auto Safety.

* Wearing seatbelts twice a day, 180 days a year will make wearing seatbelts a routine. More than 200 school districts across the nation have adopted seatbelts as an added safety feature and report usage rates from 80% to 100%.

* Seatbelts would cost most districts about $1.50 a child per year, or less than a penny a day, for this added protection.

Where does your school stand on this issue? I'm always interested in hearing from you. You can reach me at jill@cspmag.com .

God Bless,

Jill Pinheiro
Managing Editor