pant restraint systems. Breglia said other “false claims” include reduced capacity, children not using available seatbelts or unable to use them, slow evacuations, hanging upside down after a rollover, and bus drivers forced to cut seatbelts to evac- uate students in an emergency. Lap/shoulder seatbelt installation is required in Arkansas, California, Iowa,
Nevada, New Jersey, and Texas as well as by individual school districts and transportation providers nationwide. Usage varies, such as in New York, where school districts can speicify between lap or lap/shoulder belts. Ohio joins the rest of the states (minus Florida with its law only requir-
ing lap belts and a similar Louisiana law that lacks appropriated funding necessary for enforcement) in leaving school bus seatbelt implementation decisions to local districts. A school bus safety working group, called for by Gov. Mike DeWine, took up the issue after a fatal student ejection in August that killed 11-year-old Aidan Clark. The working group was initially expect- ed to release its recommendations in early January but at this writing it was delayed until after press time. Still, some members voiced concern about unintended consequences of students wearing seatbelts. It’s a recurring theme. In spring 2022, a Big Walnut Local School District school bus in Colum-
bus, Ohio, rear-ended another while traveling less than 20 mph. The bus driver was reportedly distracted by a student and was unable to stop in time. There were no reported injuries. Tim Wagner, director of administrative services, said the district’s school buses have no seatbelts and there are no plans to install them unless mandated. “The school bus is the safest form of transportation,” he said. “We have
found greater safety results by focusing on technology and training. While the death of any child is a tragedy, it is a rare event.” He expressed concern about the use of seatbelts in mass evacuations,
such as when the driver is incapacitated or during a fire. Instead, Wagner advocates for federally mandated collision avoidance technology on all bus- es, increasing bus driver training and a mandated class for parents on bus safety issues outside and inside the bus. More recently in Oregon, an automobile turned in front of a Beaverton School District bus on Nov. 14. The school bus was traveling at 25 mph and was unable to stop. It collided with an automobile at its driver’s door. Both drivers were transported to the hospital, the bus driver suffering from a concussion and internal injuries that resulted in missing a month of work. None of the 30 students onboard sustained injuries. While the bus had no seatbelts onboard for students, a three-point lap/
shoulder belt stopped the driver’s forward motion quickly after impact, which limited further injuries, said Craig Beaver, Beaverton School District administrator for transportation. The deceleration movement prevented the driver’s head from impacting the windshield or side window as well as allowing the driver to remain in control of the bus, Beaver added. All 128 of the district’s Type C buses that transport students with Indi-
vidualized Education Programs are equipped with three-point seatbelts or lap belts to provide added safety. Sixty of the district’s Type D 84-passenger buses used for general education routes are equipped with integrated car seats in the first two rows for use by pre-kindergarten and K-5 students who weigh under 40 pounds, said Beaver. He added that Oregon has no statute requiring child safety restraint system usage in school buses. Indiana is the only state to require them while they are merely recommendations in others. “Err on the side of safety and spend the extra money to install some inte-
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