Should New York School Buses Require Seat Belts?

In New York, all school buses must have seat belts, but enforcing their use is up to the different districts. A new proposed bill would require seat belts to not only be used but would see the installation of shoulder belts for use as well.

LoHud reports State Senator David Carlucci is pushing for a new law that would see all new buses purchased after July 1st have the new shoulder seatbelts. The plan would also see to it that existing buses were retrofitted with the new belts.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, in severe side crashes and rollovers, these belts could have saved lives or made injuries less severe.

A recent horrific crash in New Jersey has brought the issue to the forefront once again. But the question remains, will students actually use the new belts? Buses are already built with safety features like strong roofs and sides and the seats themselves are designed to protect students in the event of a crash.

Should New York invest in new seatbelts for school buses?

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