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For the first time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on November 9, 2015 that its recommendation is that every child on every school bus should have a three-point seat belt. Mark Rosekind, NHTSA Administrator said, “The position of the NHTSA is that seatbelts save lives. That is true whether in a passenger car or in a big yellow bus. And saving lives is what we are about.”

According to the NHTSA more than 15 thousand lives are saved each year in the United States when drivers and their passengers are wearing seatbelts when in accidents. However, school buses are not required by law to have seatbelts with the exception of small school buses (under 10 thousand pounds). The decision to install seatbelts is left to the states and jurisdictions. Florida is among six states that does require school bus seatbelts.

According to Florida statute 316.6145, every school, bus purchased after December 31, 2000 must be equipped with safety belts or any other Federally-approved restraint system.

Why don’t all states require school bus seatbelts? Some say:

1. School bus fatalities are rare. Many feel that since U.S. school buses carry over 24 million students and together travel more than 4 billion miles in the U.S., the rate of fatalities is low. Per 100 million miles traveled, school buses have a rate of 0.2 deaths according to WebMD, and vehicle deaths are eight times higher. 
2. Another answer why buses do not have seatbelts is cost. According to PublicTransport.com, it is estimated that adding seatbelts to buses would add between $8,000 and $15,000 to the cost of each bus. 
3. School buses are specifically designed with safety in mind. Over the years manufacturers have argues a design concept known as compartmentalization, which specifies precise spacing between seats and the height of seat backs, has proven effective in keeping children safe and preventing injuries.
4. Students can, and do, use the heavy belt buckles as weapons, injuring other riders.
5. Improper use of seat belts could increase the risk of injury. It is next to impossible to make sure that all students keep their belts properly fastened.
6. Evacuation in an emergency can be difficult. If a bus has to be evacuated in an emergency in cases such as fires, there is a fear that panicked or disoriented students might be trapped in their seats by their belts according to the National Education Association.

What advocates for requiring seatbelts on school buses say:

The National Coalition for Seatbelts on School Buses lists the following as reasons all large school buses should have seatbelts.

If a crash occurs, the use of seat belts will reduce the probability of death and the severity of injuries to children correctly seated in school buses.

1. Seatbelt usage improves passenger behavior and reduces driver distractions.
2. Seatbelts offer protection against injuries in rollover or side impact crashes.
3. Seatbelt usage in school buses reinforces good safety habits.
4. The cost to install seat belts is nominal.

Florida school bus seatbelts may work differently from those in other vehicles.

Does your child know how to use the seatbelts on his/her school bus? They may work differently from those in their family’s vehicles. Most vehicles now have 3-point seatbelts, seatbelts that have a shoulder strap in addition to the lap seatbelt, but not all do. So, it is important for parents, school officials and bus drivers to be sure every student riding a school bus equipped with seatbelts in Florida, knows how to use the seatbelts.

Florida school bus accidents do not happen every day, but when they do, they can be catastrophic. Just last Thursday, November 19, 2015, five students in St. Johns County, Florida were sent to the hospital after a school bus, according to First Coast News in Jacksonville, careened off I-95 and slammed into a tree. St. Johns County Fire Rescue reported that one patient was flown to UF Health as a trauma alert because of a significant leg injury.

“School bus accidents can lead to multiple injuries. If you or a loved one has been involved in a school bus accident, contact the team at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.,” said Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey.

Fort Myers Vehicle Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.