Nowadays, buses do have seat belts. Of course, people are still not using them… much… well, I have heard that after TWO bus accidents in Estonia within a week (slippery roads), passengers have actually started to use seat belts, too.
I went to school between ‘61 and ’73. Here in NC we did not have seatbelts then and neither did the drivers. In fact our drivers were high school juniors or seniors. The buses had ’governors’ on them that wouldn’t let them get over 45 mph. Now we have adult drivers but I don’t know about seat belts etc.
I drove a school bus for one year here in St. Louis for the public school system (not to mention a year as a teachers’ aid). You try and get those kids to sit still in their seats with a seat belt fastened. Good luck with that.
Buses don’t have seat belts for the passengers because pretty much everything exposed inside a bus is high strength steel. Bodies bouncing off this material will do very little damage… to the steel!
One of the main problems with seat belts for the students is that if the buckle is not secured but is loose, it become a deadly projectile in an accident. Some suggest retractable seat belts but they jam and then we are back to the heavy metal buckle flying around in an accident. Buses have an incredible amount of safety to them. The frame is high so most cars impacting a bus in the side will go under the children. As a former school bus driver, I could offload a 72 passenger bus in 1.5 minutes which is not enough time if you hear a train whistle (½ mile out). In reality, I would have every kid off the bus before impact, some might have skinned knees and elbows but they would be off.
The safety record of school buses is really remarkable. The design is extremely strong also. One time while at a stop I was rear ended by a ton and a half delivery truck. The motor of the truck was driven back under the driver while the bus had a few wrinkles to the floor in the back and the exit door bent a little. In fact the bus was fixed and back on the route in a couple of weeks. The students in the back seats were shaken up but not hurt a bit.
Now imagine this, you have an emergency situation in which you need to evacuate the bus. With the little kids, you may have to help unbuckle them. If you have 60 passengers how long would it take? As Sportymonk said, you may not have the time.
Now, I do have a few kids that a cage would be nice for. ;)
I drove bus and i will tel you why.Money, to be more specific, taxes.To put a working seatbelt system on busses would be expensive. To retrofit every bus in the country would be extremely expensive.As an ex school-bus driver i would like to say that the best add-on to safety on a bus would be to add another adult, other than the driver, to the bus. I don’t care how good the bus driver is, it is imposable to maintain discipline (keep children siting properly in the seats) and drive the bus safely.
I like all the comments about buses. I inspected School Buses for 8 yrs. Some do have belts for passengers and all have well padded seats so its like having air bags deployed all the time.
The driver has a seat belt because there is nothing between the driver and the windshield, so the driver is likely to be ejected in a crash.The kids do not because the seats are designed in such a way to restrain the kids in a crash. The concept is called “compartmentalization”, and the records prove that this restraint system is very effective. If you do the research, you will find that the school bus is far and away the safest vehicle on the road.The lion’s share of fatalities involving kids riding the bus occur not on the ride, but on getting on and off the bus. Other drivers being careless and disregarding the red lights on that bus are a far bigger danger to a child than the bus ride will ever be.So, instead of sinking tax dollars into seat belts, which will prove to be of little benefit to bus riders’ safety, let us instead sink tax dollars into improving safety when children get on and off the bus – more aggressive traffic enforcement, physical barriers, and other measures that will save far more lives than seat belts on the bus ever will.
The best reason I heard, and completely believable to me after 2+ decades behind the wheel, was a study that reported that more students got hurt by being hit by seat belt buckles (wielded by their seatmates) than were likely to be injured in accidents. Idle hands…
Rating today’s strip on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being least controversial and 10 being the most controversial; I would say (without invoking controversy) today’s strip may actually exceed 10…
Its sad to me that people make jokes about serious issues they apparently know nothing about…. The driver is belted in to keep drivers from eating the steering wheel going thru the windshield and keeping drivers in the drivers compartment area. the students are in a close together high backed extra foamed seat.. Much like an egg carton. IF they stay in their seats like they are taught to do then they are safer in the bus then in the family car. PLUS we are above most vehicle impacts. However there are some states how are currently trying out the 3 pt system seat belt instead of the deadly lap belt which studies showed that in an impact the student came forward and broke their necks.. And Sportymonk was right about the train issue.. All hail to all bus drivers thank you for still coming to work despite student disrespect for themselves each other and the insitutition of learning that is on the uprise..
Last Rose Of Summer Premium Member about 8 years ago
Great question! Yes, why?
Catfeet Premium Member about 8 years ago
Inspector Rover and all of us with inquiring minds want to know!
paha_siga about 8 years ago
Nowadays, buses do have seat belts. Of course, people are still not using them… much… well, I have heard that after TWO bus accidents in Estonia within a week (slippery roads), passengers have actually started to use seat belts, too.
rentier about 8 years ago
Caring Rover!!
GROG Premium Member about 8 years ago
Would you rather walk?
llong65 about 8 years ago
i drove a transit bus for 38 years. when asked that question I would reply " i’m closest to the windshield"
llong65 about 8 years ago
but I do agree that school buses do need seatbelts.
crazyliberal about 8 years ago
Rover you are so sweet and thoughtful taking care of your best friend.
aimlesscruzr about 8 years ago
Did buses have seatbelts (for the driver) in the 60’s?
The1andOnlyTigger about 8 years ago
Afraid not, Aimless.
tcar-1 about 8 years ago
I went to school between ‘61 and ’73. Here in NC we did not have seatbelts then and neither did the drivers. In fact our drivers were high school juniors or seniors. The buses had ’governors’ on them that wouldn’t let them get over 45 mph. Now we have adult drivers but I don’t know about seat belts etc.
stlmaddog5 about 8 years ago
I drove a school bus for one year here in St. Louis for the public school system (not to mention a year as a teachers’ aid). You try and get those kids to sit still in their seats with a seat belt fastened. Good luck with that.
neverenoughgold about 8 years ago
Buses don’t have seat belts for the passengers because pretty much everything exposed inside a bus is high strength steel. Bodies bouncing off this material will do very little damage… to the steel!
Sportymonk about 8 years ago
One of the main problems with seat belts for the students is that if the buckle is not secured but is loose, it become a deadly projectile in an accident. Some suggest retractable seat belts but they jam and then we are back to the heavy metal buckle flying around in an accident. Buses have an incredible amount of safety to them. The frame is high so most cars impacting a bus in the side will go under the children. As a former school bus driver, I could offload a 72 passenger bus in 1.5 minutes which is not enough time if you hear a train whistle (½ mile out). In reality, I would have every kid off the bus before impact, some might have skinned knees and elbows but they would be off.
gooddavid about 8 years ago
The safety record of school buses is really remarkable. The design is extremely strong also. One time while at a stop I was rear ended by a ton and a half delivery truck. The motor of the truck was driven back under the driver while the bus had a few wrinkles to the floor in the back and the exit door bent a little. In fact the bus was fixed and back on the route in a couple of weeks. The students in the back seats were shaken up but not hurt a bit.
Now imagine this, you have an emergency situation in which you need to evacuate the bus. With the little kids, you may have to help unbuckle them. If you have 60 passengers how long would it take? As Sportymonk said, you may not have the time.
Now, I do have a few kids that a cage would be nice for. ;)
TexMichael about 8 years ago
I guess in part the Yellow paint helps keep the other vehicles away.
gordol about 8 years ago
Modern school busses have seat belts for the kids. R&R takes place in the 1950s.
Happy, happy, happy!!! Premium Member about 8 years ago
I drove bus and i will tel you why.Money, to be more specific, taxes.To put a working seatbelt system on busses would be expensive. To retrofit every bus in the country would be extremely expensive.As an ex school-bus driver i would like to say that the best add-on to safety on a bus would be to add another adult, other than the driver, to the bus. I don’t care how good the bus driver is, it is imposable to maintain discipline (keep children siting properly in the seats) and drive the bus safely.
rldavid about 8 years ago
I like all the comments about buses. I inspected School Buses for 8 yrs. Some do have belts for passengers and all have well padded seats so its like having air bags deployed all the time.
sarahbowl1 Premium Member about 8 years ago
Good point, Red. I always wondered about that, too!
InquireWithin about 8 years ago
“This is 1969 and you don’t get to question authority, kid. Now get on the bus before i leave you here.” (Takes a puff of her cigarette.)
dshepard about 8 years ago
The driver has a seat belt because there is nothing between the driver and the windshield, so the driver is likely to be ejected in a crash.The kids do not because the seats are designed in such a way to restrain the kids in a crash. The concept is called “compartmentalization”, and the records prove that this restraint system is very effective. If you do the research, you will find that the school bus is far and away the safest vehicle on the road.The lion’s share of fatalities involving kids riding the bus occur not on the ride, but on getting on and off the bus. Other drivers being careless and disregarding the red lights on that bus are a far bigger danger to a child than the bus ride will ever be.So, instead of sinking tax dollars into seat belts, which will prove to be of little benefit to bus riders’ safety, let us instead sink tax dollars into improving safety when children get on and off the bus – more aggressive traffic enforcement, physical barriers, and other measures that will save far more lives than seat belts on the bus ever will.
cxdebate about 8 years ago
The best reason I heard, and completely believable to me after 2+ decades behind the wheel, was a study that reported that more students got hurt by being hit by seat belt buckles (wielded by their seatmates) than were likely to be injured in accidents. Idle hands…
mymontana about 8 years ago
Rover, you’re the best…and you do deserve an answer.
LOVE & HUGS TO RED & A VERY PROTECTIVE ROVER
neverenoughgold about 8 years ago
Rating today’s strip on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being least controversial and 10 being the most controversial; I would say (without invoking controversy) today’s strip may actually exceed 10…
Skoally about 8 years ago
I have always had the exact same question
TexMichael about 8 years ago
The other reason the driver needs the belt is to keep the driver behind the wheel so the bus can be controlled.
satinstar52 about 8 years ago
Its sad to me that people make jokes about serious issues they apparently know nothing about…. The driver is belted in to keep drivers from eating the steering wheel going thru the windshield and keeping drivers in the drivers compartment area. the students are in a close together high backed extra foamed seat.. Much like an egg carton. IF they stay in their seats like they are taught to do then they are safer in the bus then in the family car. PLUS we are above most vehicle impacts. However there are some states how are currently trying out the 3 pt system seat belt instead of the deadly lap belt which studies showed that in an impact the student came forward and broke their necks.. And Sportymonk was right about the train issue.. All hail to all bus drivers thank you for still coming to work despite student disrespect for themselves each other and the insitutition of learning that is on the uprise..