When you send your kid off to school on a bus this year you can take comfort in the fact that school buses are considered some of the safest vehicles on the road?they are large, high, heavy and bright yellow, making them easily visible. They also have flashing lights and other safety features like a stop sign and a stop arm that make them less likely than cars or pedestrians to be involved in accidents.
According to the National Collision Database, between 2009 and 2018 there was only one fatality related to travelling and from school on a bus, and Transport Canada says students are about 80 times more likely to get to school safely in a school bus than in a car. But would school buses be even safer with seat belts"
It?s a question on the mind of our government leaders, as well. In June, after months of discussion, the House of Commons transportation committee opted not to call for seat belts on school buses, saying that further studies are needed. A task force, made up of government representatives, school bus operators, school districts, manufacturers, safety organizations and labour unions, continues to look at the issue. The story is a bit different in the United States, where buses in eight states now have seat belts, and organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Safety Council and the National Transportation Safety Board recommend school buses be outfitted with seat belts. But the issue in Canada is not as clear cut.
Different crash...