Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Sunday, March 12, 2017

More States Debate Requiring Seat Belts on School Buses

Dawn Prescott doesn’t recall all the details of when the school bus she was riding on more than 15 years ago careened off a bridge in Omaha, Nebraska, plunged nearly 50 feet into a creek bed, and landed on its side.

She was a chaperone for the high school band, which was returning from a competition in October 2001. Her son Benjamin, 14, was sitting a few rows up, behind the driver.

“I remember that I grabbed the luggage rack and was hanging from it,” Prescott, 55, recalled. “Kids were screaming and hurt and in tangled heaps that I stepped over. All I could think of was that I had to get to my son. But when I finally did, I found he was unconscious.”

Benjamin, along with two other students and a parent, died as a result of the crash. Twenty-six passengers were injured. So was the driver, the only one on the bus who was wearing a seat belt. Seat belts weren’t required on school buses, and the bus didn’t have any for passengers.

More

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

why is this even a debate ? this is beyond ignorant.

Anonymous said...

7:09 let me see, well we have school busses for decades and yes there have been accidents that have killed people, for the vast majority it has not been an issue. new laws will not end accidents and to be blunt seat belts would most likely not have saved any of these kids. so get off your high horse and understand it is a choice

Anonymous said...

So i am guessing it would be ok if your child was one of the kids that where killed ?

Anonymous said...

I agree 100%

Anonymous said...

This will be a great way to control the thug kids if your standing up the bus dosnt Move.

Anonymous said...

7:44 no I would not but everytime something like this happens the government steps in and creates new laws and thinks they have done something. 7:46 good luck

Anonymous said...

Good for the driver if your not belted were NOT MOVING.

LONG OVERDUE.

Anonymous said...

I think seatbelts should be on busses. The parents need to teach the kids to wear them though. The bus driver can inspect every kid like a flight attendant and make sure they are wearing them. Also I don't want to see bus drivers held accountable if a kid gets hurt in an accident and they chose not to wear the seatbelt.

Anonymous said...

If a kid stands up while in motion he gets kicked off the bus x 1 week then banned for the season on 2nd offence.

Anonymous said...

9:25 the bus driver might try but then he will be charged with Racism or abuse. it just does not work that way anymore. the kids rule the house

Anonymous said...

As long as the kids have demonstrated they know how to release the mechanism on their own. Consider young children...there's no way one bus driver can release that many kids efficiently or effectively in the event of an emergency. Unless there is a trigger at the driver's seat that releases all of them simultaneously.

Anonymous said...

Maybe ur house.

Anonymous said...

They should make the seats like modern roller coasters. A bar comes down over shoulders and locks the kid in place, when bus is stopped they can be raised.

Anonymous said...

Stop be lazing and drive your kid to school.. problem solved.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Stop be lazing and drive your kid to school.. problem solved.

March 9, 2017 at 12:03 PM

you sound like you either don't have kids, don't have a job, or either, or both.