Correct way to wear | Seatbelts & youth | Protecting your baby | Protecting your children | Buckle up – it's the law | How seatbelts work | School buses & seatbelts
School buses don't actually have seatbelts.
In 1984, Transport Canada conducted a series of extensive collision tests to determine if installing lap belts would improve school bus safety. (School bus design will only allow for the installation of lap-only belts.) What was quickly discovered is that children are generally much safer left unrestrained than restrained in lap-only belts.
From 1986 to 1995, there have been more than 1.8 million casualty-producing traffic collisions in Canada. Of those, approximately 0.3 per cent were classified as school bus-related.
During the 10 years since crash testing revealed the benefits of compartmentalized seating and improved safety standards, average annual school bus occupant fatality totals have dropped. This confirms that school bus transportation is one of the safest modes of travel in Canada.
It also revealed that students were more likely to suffer serious or fatal injuries as pedestrians when struck by the school bus or other vehicles. This suggests that students should be taught how to exit the bus and leave the area safely and that motorists must understand that all vehicles must remain stopped during the unload. Regular public awareness programs should be conducted when school resumes each fall.
For more information, check Transport Canada's web site.
