'States debate requiring seat belts on school buses" (March 14) raised an emotional issue. Mandating seat belts on buses seems logical, just as for cars. It seems like a no-brainer.
I am a former school bus driver, having spent more than seven years driving 200-plus K-12 kids 100 miles each day. I know firsthand the challenges of transporting our nation's youth. The article presented a one-sided, emotional view of the seat-belt issue and failed to mention child fatality statistics, which actually show that school bus transportation is the safest mode of transportation possible — or the fact that school buses are specifically designed to be safe without the use of seatbelts.
A large body of research clearly shows mandatory seat belts in school buses is not a good idea and will result in more injuries. Consider:
1. Whether or not a problem exists in the first place is debatable. According to a 2006 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, since 1996 there have been only an average of five fatalities annually among students inside a bus. Most school-bus related deaths occur outside the bus (14 per year). Compared to the more than 1,300 fatalities annually of school-age children in other vehicle types during school hours, it is clear the greatest danger to kids is driving themselves or riding with parents or friends.
2. Not mentioned in the article is that all small buses (under 10,000 pounds) are already required by federal law to carry seat belts. That's because smaller buses are judged to be closer in size to automobiles and light trucks, and the federal government requires a comparable level of occupant protection. Seat belts are not required for large school buses (typically 23,000 pounds or more) for reasons including size, design and placement of the occupants.
3. There is a difference between requiring seat-belt installation and mandating their use. Of the six states that require seat belts (California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Texas ), only one requires their use (New Jersey).
4. There is also great confusion simply in the term "seat belt." Most parents incorrectly assume this refers to the three-point harness required in automobiles today. However, the reality is that old-fashioned lap belts are the common belt for large school buses.
5. The 1967 UCLA researcher most often cited by proponents of mandatory seat belts recommended "passenger protection of lap belts when used with high back seats" in school buses. Understand this research was performed 10 years before the 1977 mandate for compartmentalization safety features. More recent testing of this configuration shows that compartmentalization works and is safer than belts.