It’s been almost a year since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration endorsed the addition of three-point seat belts on school buses. Now the National Safety Council has joined in the appeal for the inclusion of safety restraints for child passengers.
The NSC announcement called for uniform safety practices for children across multiple modes of transportation, including school buses, airplanes and personal vehicles.
“It is time for consistent policies to ensure children arrive safely, regardless of the mode of transportation or the jurisdiction they travel through,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the NSC.
The recommendation also urged the installation of lap and shoulder belts on new school buses with proper restraints for children with special needs, Hersman adding that these proposals are necessary due to the “patchwork system of laws, regulations and standards means the safety of our most vulnerable travelers can slip through the cracks.”
The NSC stressed that while school buses remain the safest way to transport children to and from school, seat belts add an extra layer of protection.
“Seat belts are proven to save lives. Child restraints in personal vehicles reduce the risk of death by up to 71 percent among infants, 54 percent among toddlers and 45 percent among children ages 4-8,” the NSC said in a statement.
The NSC is a nonprofit organization with over a century of experience saving lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work and in homes and communities, as well as on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy.
A full explanation the recent NSC recommendations can be found here.
