A crash in 2018, in which a dump truck crushed a school bus while transporting students on a New Jersey Highway, prompted one company to make three-point seatbelts standard on all school buses, reported CBS News.
According to the news report, over 25 million students ride the school bus every day. Although school buses are the safest mode for student travel, most of them do not have seatbelts. Starting this fall, Blue Bird’s new buses will offer three-point seatbelts for every passenger. Next year, they will also include driver airbags at no extra cost.
In the 2018, teacher Jennifer Williamson was killed along with a student during a school bus crash in Paramus, New Jersey. The bus had two-point lap belts. The school district voluntarily implemented the safer lap/shoulder seatbelts and New Jersey followed with a new law requiring the three-point restraints.
A crash test performed last week at IMMI’s Center for Advanced Product Evaluation demonstrated how three-point seatbelts work. In the test, a box truck moving at 40 mph hurtled into a stationary bus. While the dummies inside wearing three-point seat belts barely moved, the unbelted ones were sent flying.
The article states that over a period of 10-years, approximately 1,110 people were killed in school bus crashes for an average of 111 per year. This number mostly reflects motorists in other vehicles and pedestrians. On average, only six students riding the bus are killed in these crashes.
Related: Blue Bird Launches Most Comprehensive School Bus Safety Upgrades in its History
Related: N.Y. Legislature Passes Bill Requiring Students to Wear Seatbelts on Chartered Trips
Related: Blue Bird Announces Standard Lap/Shoulder Seatbelts on All School Buses
Related: (STN Podcast E196) Safety Envelope: Ohio Safety Group Findings, Seatbelts & Technology
