SEAT BELT DEBATE * USA - It's safety first on buses
Norwich,CT,USA -The Norwich Bulletin, by LIZ MUGAVERO -10 Dec 2006: -- ... They are the only vehicles on the roads without seat belts or airbags, yet school and transportation officials say school buses are safe just the way they are -- and most parents and students agree, despite the continuing seat belt debate... In fact, experts say children face more danger outside the bus than on it... Jody Rubino, coordinator of the Norwich Safe Community Coalition said buses account for only 0.02 percent of fatal crashes, and are typically very safe. But a key component of that safety is teaching children to obey rules inside the bus. And with some bus loads carrying up to 70 children, the need for drivers to be hypersensitive to what's going on behind them as well as on the road is imperative... And the great seat belt debate? ... "No way," said Atkinson, whose opinion coincided with transportation and school officials. "Not every kid knows how to position them correctly and could end up rupturing their spleen. I think it would be less safe."... Rubino said lap belts provide no upper body support for children anyway, and could contribute to head or abdominal injuries... But Cassidy Atkinson, 8, disagreed with her mother... "I think we should have seat belts," she said, recalling an incident when she fell into the aisle after the bus turned a sharp corner. "I was kind of scared."... Her brother, Connor, 11, agreed... "With seat belts, we can't fall out of our seats."... Jacobson said she didn't find them necessary... "We've gone all these years without them. Why start now?"...
posted by Unknown @ 11:13 AM
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