Above, Des Moines, Iowa students are quieter and well-behaved in their lap-shoulder seat belts. Below, school bus drivers for Person County Schools in North Carolina are the envy of their peers because of the positive effect three- point restraints have had on student behavior.
Transportation Lloyd Willis told STN earlier this school year the district quickly learned that increasing compartmentalization was only one benefit. “Te behavior of children on theses buses has greatly improved,” he said. Te kids are now staying in their seats, and the noise levels have lowered. We have found that the easiest age for implementation is the elementary kids.”
Willis said his drivers were at first “very apprehensive” because of the added responsibility of making sure all kids are buckled up. But the district implemented a policy that students are required to wear them. “Te drivers after a couple of days love them, because of the difference in behavior,” he added. Meanwhile, Bowes said that the drivers are “thrilled” with the lap-shoulder belts and that their peers “are very envious and wish they had seat belts, not a new bus, just seat belts.” “One of the drivers told me that given a choice between air conditioning a bus and putting seat belts on the bus, she would choose seat belts every time,” she added. Back in Iowa, Danny Johnson said his fellow Des Moines school bus drivers are no longer reluctant to take on a route with a lap-shoulder belt bus, thanks to the pilot he was a part of last year. “At first they thought it was going to take a long time for the kids to (unbuckle). Well, guess what? Te kids can get out of them in a second or less. I haven’t seen one parent who said they didn’t want to their kid with one on.” Bartholomew Consolidated’s Wetherald echoed that sentiment. “I can attest to this: A driver may not be in favor of them, at least at first, but when I get a call from a parent, I can go on the video and prove to them if the student was in their seat or not.”
52 School Transportation News • NOVEMBER 2017
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