Meanwhile, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that will
require all school buses in the state to comply with the state’s three- point law by July 2035. California became the first state to require the three-point belts for large school buses in 2005, but because no statewide replacement cycle exists, the California Highway Patrol found that just over half of the state’s 25,000 buses were equipped with the lap-shoulder belts, as of 2016. But then last month’s fatality in Mesquite, Texas happened. A school bus driver apparently lost control of the bus (likely making the vehicle a good candidate for electronic stability controls that are becoming standard equipment in the industry) and it rolled over in a ditch. It also struck a utility pole, downing an electrical wire in the process. Tat sparked a fire. While 39 students evacuated safely, 12-year-
old Jazmine Alfaro died on board, though it remains unknown if her death was caused by the crash itself or the fire. One student told reporters that Alfaro appeared unconscious as she hung suspended in her lap-shoulder seat belt. Evacuation concerns—and the cause of the Mesquite driver’s crash—notwithstanding, do three-point seat belts offer more safety by reducing driver distraction?
“School districts with defined and enforced lap/shoulder belt usage policies report notable improvements in student behavior and reduction in behavioral incident write-ups,” wrote NASDPTS
in a February 2014 position paper. “Driver attention is less focused on student behavior, allowing for greater attentiveness to driving matters.”
REAL-WORLD DATA SOUGHT Te National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking to qualify that statement. In March, it issued a Request for Proposals to select a contractor to study the indirect effects of three-point belts. Last month, NHTSA spokesman Jose Ucles said a contract will likely be awarded this fall. “Ten, after study is over, it has to be analyzed and put into a report before we can release anything to the public,” he explained. “Tat process might take two or three years.” In the meantime, many districts that have adopted three-point belts, either voluntarily or in response to a state law, say they are experiencing bus routes with less horseplay, less driver distraction and fewer disciplinary issues. Fayetteville Public Schools was the first district in Arkansas to
adopt lap-shoulder belts. Last year, the state passed a law that required districts to initiate a local ballot measure to secure funding, if 10 percent of taxpayers signed a petition seeking lap-shoulder belts. “I don’t know if a district would ever get 10 percent of the constituents to sign a petition, but this is sparking conversations,” said Director of Transportation Mike McClure, adding that Fayetteville found
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Client: Zonar Systems – Child Safety Ad #1 - Her safety Created by: Publication: Dimensions:
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Student Transportation News, STN, 11/17 issue 1/3rd Page 4.5625”x4.875” Non-bleed
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