DEBATE * Canada - School bus safety: Do belts work?
Toronto,Ontario,Canada -The Toronto Star, by Kristin Rushowy -Apr 13, 2007: -- Experts can't agree on whether putting seat belts in school buses makes children safer, as debate keeps growing a day after a Brampton boy was killed in a crash... In Ontario alone, some 800,000 children are transported on school buses twice a day. From 1995 to 2004, five children across Canada have died in school bus accidents, and some 4,407 passengers were injured... Transport Canada, meanwhile, said it is already looking at ways to improve the vehicles... (Picture by EARNIE GRAFTON/ SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE - Seatmates buckle up in San Diego, where newer school buses are equipped with shoulder-harness belts at an additional cost of $12,000 (U.S.) per vehicle)* Voices: Bus seatbelts
Toronto,Ontario,Canada -The Toronto Star -Apr 13, 2007: -- We asked you whether you think school buses should be fitted with seat belts. Here's what you had to say:
Frank Pellegrino, Toronto: - As far as I'm concerned, this is a ridiculous question. Of course buses should have seat belts. Why is it the law in cars and trucks and not on school buses?
Joan Quinn, Wasaga Beach: - I believe school buses going out of the city, onto highways, should have a responsible adult on board to control children and assist the driver with all emergency situations. Perhaps this wouldn't avoid an accident happening but I am sure it would be a great support for the driver, in an emergency.
Judi deLeeuw, Stoney Creek: - I am a former school bus driver. I will never agree to seat belts in the 40-foot buses. If there was ever a fire in the engine compartment of the vehicle or at the back of the bus can you imagine the driver and all of the panic-stricken passengers trying to undo the seat belts and getting out of the monster safely. Timing is everything in a panic situation.
Ovidiu Hornar, Thornhill: - It is unbelievable. The school buses are not only obsolete but the most dangerous public transportation vehicle with no protective devices and they are "designed" to transport our children. The entire school bus system should be revised.
May Camilleri, Oakville: - The bottom line is that the reason seat belts are not mandatory on school buses is because it would be too expensive to do a radical change for all school buses and transit buses.
Peter Young, Toronto: - It is easy to get emotional about a tragic story like this, but in-depth studies have shown that having no seat belts on buses (with exceptions for very small children) is safer than having seat belts.
Alagan Elavalagan, Toronto: - First, school buses don't have "seats" but they have "benches." Larger school buses have 24 benches and they allow the operators to load 48 big kids or 72 small kids. In short, it allows two big kids or three small kids per bench. How can we design seat belts for variable occupants? The seat belt idea for school buses will force the operators to limit the occupants to two per bench and that will take away some profit.
Labels: seat belts
posted by Unknown @ 1:49 PM
3 Comments:
Good Point Judy I agree I live in Peterborough ONT there was seat belts in the small vans when I was a kid but now adays I disagree drivers dont have time to watch for making sure they are on and with out an alarm systom to locate seat belt off U cant stop all the time and check them. Rodney
well I disagree with seat belts. Drivers dont have time to make Sure there on and they only drive so much a day and certian hrs
I have driven a small school bus with seat belts,I was constantly pulling over because of children refusing to keep them on. Even the full body harness. Children need to be taught the importance of sitting properly in their seats while the bus is moving, with or without belts. Are they standing or moving around in Mom's car?
Note: these buses are on the road during peak rush hour times, trying to keep one eye on the cars that cut them off, pedestrians that stand on the edge of the curb leaning into traffic, and the other eye on (up to) 72 screaming bouncing kids.
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