Why aren there seat belts in school buses?
On school buses over 10,000 lbs, occupant protection is provided by “compartmentalization,” not safety belts. Compartmentalization is the name for the protective envelope created by strong, closely-spaced seats that have energy-absorbing high seat backs that protect occupants in the event of a crash. School buses also have other features that contribute to the high level of safety they provide each occupant. Features such as emergency exits, roof structure, fuel systems, and body joint strength make the bus stronger, larger, heavier, and safer than most other vehicles on the road today. Compartmentalization doesn’t require the student to do anything, like buckle a belt, to be effective.
This question crops up on this site with a fair amount of regularity, but it’s still a fair question. I will give the same answer I have given many times before. I have 5 kids in school and, of course, I care about their safety on buses, so this is a topic and question that I have researched thoroughly over the past 8 months. Here is what I have found… Everyone tends to say the cost is the a main reason buses don’t have belts. And while I agree funding could certainly be a factor, consider the following. Neither lap nor lap-and-shoulder belts on a bus provide the same type of protection offered in a car. During a head-on collision, the most common type for buses, lap belts alone can increase the risk of injury. On impact, this type of restraint allows a passenger’s head to jerk forward, risking severe head and neck injury. Lap AND shoulder belts would require the installation of stiffer seats. These seats could become a source of impact injury. Studies also showed that children can s
