was that students did not use the seat belts consistently, and it became a constant distraction to the driver trying to ensure that the students were buckled properly. Several different mo- tivational strategies were used but did not really seem to help,” said Purvis Johnson, transportation director for Autauga County Schools. Johnson said he also believes that seat belts could be benefi-
cial if the study shows they could definitely make a difference regarding safety for the students and did not result in creating a financial burden for departments that are already feeling the eco- nomic crunch. But, for others, like Elmore County Public Schools’ Carol McGalliard, the final report will help them to make a final decision on the issue. “I have mixed feelings on requiring seat belts in our school bus-
es,” added McGalliard, another of the 10 participating schools. No matter the final decisions made as a result of the study,
Lightsey said he believes the last three years have secured Ala- bama a small place in the history of pupil transportation. “To my knowledge, there hasn’t been another study that gath-
ered as much real-world data about seat belts on school buses as has this one,” said Lightsey. “Even so, we are reminded that the study rose out of a tragedy and that, as we review the results, we remember those who lost their lives and those who were injured in this accident.” n
What is your district’s real-world experience with school bus seat belts?
None Lap Belts Only
Combination of Lap & Lap/Shoulder Belts Lap/Shoulder Belts Only
9% 12% 48% 31%
156 total responses at
www.stnonline.com as of 8/6/10.
www.stnonline.com 23
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