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I think if it would cost $2,000.00 to add seat belts to school buses that is a small price to pay for a childs life. The seats in school buses have not changed since the 60's but just look at the changes in automobiles, people pay the price for seat belts and airbags in cars for self protection, I think that the taxes that we pay for schools should have already been used to update the school buses, why have you waited so long to make changes that were available to protect the lives of our children? If it was a matter of $2,000.00 I believe that is was very slack in not spending this money to make the buses safe for the children. It took a wake up call to bring this to attention and this should have been addressed in the 1960's. I would not drive a school bus unless it had safety features for the children and myself I think it very unforgiving for not having the buses updated for the childrens safety many years ago, how many parents are going to feel fear for the safety of their children each day that they know that they are on a school bus with no safety features and that the same thing could happen to their children that happened a few days ago, scary and un-necessary situation that should have been addressed many many years ago. I pray for the children and the parents that were in the situation a few days ago and pray that it never happens again.
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array1 has a great point- I have small children who ride the bus every day to and from school. Could you imagine being the driver with 40-60 belted children to escape a fire. The panic would be indescribable. Who would you hold accountable when they could not free each child- which child would you save knowing that you could not get them all- would you perish with them trying to save them? There are thousands of other questions that need to be ask before installing belts. There probably could have been less injuries in the accident in Huntsville with seatbelts. However, I personally do not think it would have saved lives. I do pray for the families that have been touched by this accident. A wake up call would be to help the driver with your child's behavior if they are a bus rider- make sure they stay in their seat, follow the rules, pay attention to their surroundings, and BE QUIET. So many people want to defend their child when they are in trouble at school or on the bus. But ... was this particular driver having to try to watch the children in the back of the bus that were possibly misbehaving instead of pay attention to the road- NO ONE KNOWS BUT OUR LORD WHAT TRULY HAPPENED!!! Try to think this out before passing laws.
Sorry jmalone --- You might want to go back and check your facts --

I was in elementary in the early 80s and we got a brand new bus with NEW SEATS in 1984. The seats in the 60s and 70s buses that we were riding at that time were plastic and the back below chest high on a normal high school kid. The seats on buses since have been upgraded--the seats are as high as most of the kids in elementary school's head and about to shoulder height of any high school kid. To truly see over these seats you have to sit on your feet or stand up. They are also Much closer together -- and they can seat 2 kids with backpacks comfortably. They are 5x as thick with padding -- no soft padding like a pillow but tough padding like a air mattress the fire dept would catch you with -- enough to break an impact.

Also, the glass in the windows are sturdier.

There is no need for seatbelts on a schoolbus -- that is an added danger like the person said, what do you do when it's on fire. Besides, are you going to be the patient driver int he car behind the school bus who waits for the bus driver to check and make sure every child is buckled in correctly at EVERY SINGLE STOP? What is the purpose of adding more chaos to a bus ride.

The only thing I think should probably be added is some form of an "Oh S*&T" bar on the seats or on the sides of the windows for the kids to grab hold of to have some stability to themselves when a wreck is happening.

If we drivers in normal cars would obey the laws and drive slowly and pay attention and give the buses the room on the road they need --- a lot of accidents wouldn't happen anyway.
My kids are 11, 8 and 4. They all can fasten and unfasten there seat belt/boosterseat by themselves. I agree more reseach should be looked at or performed before any decesion is made. However, the arguments against are the same as those who apposed them for automobiles. We had airbag technology since the 60's but not until the 90's were they typically placed on car's. Best to take the emotion out of the decesion then take the prudent action.
It is so easy for someone to say take the emotion out of the 'decesion' (should be spelled decision by the way) when actually emotion is what is sparking everyone to cry out for the seatbelts. This is purely an emotion driven conversation.
My children are old enough to fasten themselves in as well. But do not assume that I was against seatbelts in any automobile. I do not 'appose' or oppose them.... They are great for automobiles and my family does use them. IT IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION ON A SCHOOL BUS. I argree with Stephanie that the other vehicles should be patient and give the bus right of way---COULD BE YOUR KID ON THEIR.

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