Each school day over 25 million children ride a school bus back and forth to school and related activities. In addition, millions of children take these vehicles to camp, religious, athletic and youth events. There approximately 450,000 school buses in service traveling a total of two million miles each school day.

Annually, approximately 16,000 school buses are involved in collisions, causing about 12,000 injuries and 130 deaths as a result of school bus accidents.

Various groups over the years have advocated the installation of safety belts in large school buses. This is an attempt to further prevent students from sustaining injuries or fatalities in school bus accidents. School bus safety backers are fighting to implement seat belts in the design of all yellow school buses, arguing that the school bus design has not changed since 1977.

Small, van type school buses are required to have safety belts for all occupants as standard equipment since these vehicles are similar to passenger cars. Furthermore, to prevent pedestrians and non-bus occupants from being injured in a school bus accident, states have instituted safety laws that must be followed by drivers in the vicinity of school buses.

Although school bus accidents rarely occur, school bus accidents are devastating for all.

See Also:
Fire Accidents