ed in a significant reduction in the number of injuries to children. Those results cannot be just ignored.”
Adoption Slow Despite Latest State Law Meanwhile, the latest state to pass a law requiring lap/
shoulder seatbelts hasn’t seen many school district sign on since it passed last year. A passed amendment to the Illinois law changed the effective date of the mandate to Jan. 1, 2031, three years later than the original, and does not require school districts, private schools or school bus contractors to require student passenger seatbelt usage. It only applies to owned vehicles. The amendment was reportedly passed based on concerns and feedback over the use of seatbelts becoming anything other than a safety improvement intention. Ron Johnson, director of support operations for Indi- an Prairie School District #204, said his district has had “preliminary conversations on training, procedures and policy as it relates to student behavior and management with the new law that starts in 2031. “The Illinois senate amended the bill before it was adopted to clarify that school districts or transportation providers are
not required to make sure seatbelts are properly fastened or to teach students how to fasten them which leaves the use of seatbelts on school buses up to the local school district.” He noted that with school buses being the safest form
of school transportation in the U.S., the district will take its time before implementing school buses as its waits for additional guidance to be released. About 30 percent of the Peoria Public Schools 113-bus fleet have three-point seatbelts. Transportation Director Joshua Collins said the 2031 deadline, allows plenty of time to decide how they will be handled. “We do not have seatbelts on almost all our Type C’s,” he said, adding he doesn’t believe the district will mandate a policy for students. “Those are very difficult to enforce. I would assume we would adopt a best practice approach and highly recommend the use of the seatbelts.” ●
Read about a paper from the Academy of
Pediatrics that compiled injuries among children and teenagers in the U.S. who rode school buses from 2001-2003 at
stnonline.com/go/or.
38 School Transportation News • FEBRUARY 2026
©2026 IMMI All rights reserved. 9224P
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