Reply to Would you let your 3-4 year old ride the school bus?

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Reply to "Would you let your 3-4 year old ride the school bus?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][b]School buses are one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States.  More than 42,000 people are killed in traffic crashes on U.S. roads every year.  Every year, approximately 450,000 public school buses travel about 4.3 billion miles to transport 23.5 million children to and from school and school-related activities.  Yet, on average, every year, six school age children (throughout the U.S.) die in school bus crashes as passengers.[/b]  NHTSA strives to ensure that there are no fatalities in school buses.

Large school buses are heavier and distribute crash forces differently than do passenger cars and light trucks.  Because of these differences, the crash forces experienced by occupants of buses are much less than that experienced by occupants of passenger cars, light trucks or vans.  NHTSA decided that the best way to provide crash protection to passengers of large school buses is through a concept called “compartmentalization.”  This requires that the interior of large buses provide occupant protection such that children are protected without the need to buckle-up.  Through compartmentalization, occupant crash protection is provided by a protective envelope consisting of strong, closely-spaced seats that have energy-absorbing seat backs.

School bus crash data show that compartmentalization has been effective at protecting school bus passengers.  NHTSA’s 2002 Report to Congress[1]  found that the addition of lap belts did not improve occupant protection for the severe frontal impacts that were studied for that report.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/Vehicle+Safety/Seat+Belts/Seat+Belts+on+School+Buses+--+May+2006[/quote]

Right, but is it possible that the low numbers of fatalities/injuries in school buses have more to do with the fact that most school buses aren't driving on major highways; they are going fairly slow speeds around neighborhood roads and making frequent stops.  But in other conditions, major highways, high speeds, et cetera, it would be just as important to have seat belts?  I don't know, just throwing that out there.

So many of the school buses in use around where I am seem really old.  I have a hard time believing that some state-of-the-art crash science has been applied to their construction.  They seem pretty old and rickety.

I don't have an answer to OP's question.  Sorry, but I have always kind of wondered about buses and seat belts.

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