.....blows my mind.

I've heard explanations about how its "safer" for kids to just slam up against the "soft" seat backs because of their size etc.....BS I say!

They need to be buckled down. (period)

It'll also solve lots of other problems related to kids running hog wild in the bus, distracting the driver, beating each other up etc.

Safer? Hah! We want the little heathens to bounce off objects. Might settle some of these monsters down a bit.

They don't have seatbelts because well, being in a school bus is like being in a steel cage. Nothing (save for a train) will do that much damage to a school bus that would require seatbelts.

When I was in school our buses had seatbelts. In 1990-94. Big yellow buses. Made by Bluebird. Also had A/C in them to. Our busdriver wasn't to strick about us wearing them unless there was ice on the ground, then she wouldn't move that bus if we weren't buckled up.

They don't have seatbelts because well, being in a school bus is like being in a steel cage. Nothing (save for a train) will do that much damage to a school bus that would require seatbelts.


not true though....when the bus hits something hard, all the kids go flying forward. The secondary collision causes the most injuries.

This no seat belt policy makes no sense to me

If kids have to be buckled down in cars, they should be buckled down in buses. Also what about cases in which buses roll over? I think not wearing seatbelts would pose a greater danger than wearing them.

.....blows my mind.

I've heard explanations about how its "safer" for kids to just slam up against the "soft" seat backs because of their size etc.....BS I say!

They need to be buckled down. (period)

It'll also solve lots of other problems related to kids running hog wild in the bus, distracting the driver, beating each other up etc.

bah, builds charachter. (See the inner conservative showing)

bah, builds charachter. (See the inner conservative showing)

Yup. Watch the little smack-tards fly into the back of the seat...

Hell though, I think kids should walk to school like I did...For 7 miles in 15 inches of snow with 3 year-old worn-out sneakers handed down to me from my older brother... That'll teach the little shits...And save on gas too :suspect:

down here i see more fo them going on there lids than just flat hitting things ....i dont like the idea of kids rattleing around the insiade of the bus like that marble in your can of dayglow krylon spray paint ...

in the end its all propotionate , just like the airline insitry and the FAA , sure it will save lives but will the saveing of (lets say) 2 lives nationwide a year offset the cost ? doubtful ....

its sad to see things work like that , but i do see it and the FAA like the DOT makes no bones about it , just the way it is ....untill wealthy private citizens donate the funds and rescources to do this nothing will get done because the govt feels remving soda macines from highschools is more important and more worth the time ...

if it were up to me each bus would have 3 point belts and each driver would have a clean record , and be the best of the best ....sadly we have drivers with records 10 miles long driving 10 year old equipemnt with your sons and duaghters on baord ...without a seatbelt in sight , let alone stabily controll or ABS ....boath of which i have seen on heavy commerical veicles ...

When I was younger we used to wack each other with the seatbelts. And we'd buckle them across the isle and trip kids. Hahahaha! We were so cool.

not true though....when the bus hits something hard, all the kids go flying forward. The secondary collision causes the most injuries.

This no seat belt policy makes no sense to me

I agree. There was a safety show on tv once about how even people's pets, like a small dog on the back window deck of the car can become a flying projectile and actually behead someone in the front seat if the force of the impact is great enough! I'll NEVER put even a Kleenix box back there! :canttalk: :suspense:

I'll NEVER put even a Kleenix box back there! :canttalk: :suspense:
somehow from a physics stand point I can't see the tissue box doing that much for two reasons
1.Not enough mass
2.Terminal Velocity

somehow from a physics stand point I can't see the tissue box doing that much for two reasons
1.Not enough mass
2.Terminal Velocity

But the sharp corner could POKE my EYE if I were shoulder checking?? :histeric:

and NEVER put a SPIKED colar on your dog! :D

I don't see it being much safer except maybe if the bus rolls..

and NEVER put a SPIKED colar on your dog! :D

Quote from fireman "If only his poodle hadn't had the chainsaw around it's neck he might have made it" :helpless:LOL

never ride with a floor jack in your trunk......don't ask :-)
(wasn't me)

never ride with a floor jack in your trunk......don't ask :-)
(wasn't me)


Now we have to ask.. What happens then?


I don't think I have ever put a seat belt on while riding in a bus. I mean if the bus crashes and/or rolls I would be shouting "HORRAY, NO SCHOOL TODAY!!!" along with my random yelps of intense pain. Also, what are the kids gonna say when they tell their kids that story in the future,
"You know I was in a bus while it crashed once"
"Did you get hurt daddy?"
"Nope, I was that one retarded kid in the front seat that always buckles up for safety."
"Ohh..."
OR
"You know I was in a bus while it crashed once."
"Did you get hurt daddy?"
"Yep, I still have the scars where my bones were poking out of my skin. Wanna se em?" <---Now THATS a story.

Now we have to ask.. What happens then?

What happens is......you hit something (say a parked car) then the floorjack comes crashing THROUGH the seats and you end up getting smacked in the face with the airbag and pumelled from behind by a 2 1/2 ton floor jack doing 50 MPH. Broken ribs and busted spleen...and I think he got off easy....coulda been worse.

Also this painter friend of mine crashed his work van, his compressor came flying through the van and nailed in the back, it nearly killed him.

Long short heavy objects (kids in bus or floor jack in trunk) should always be secured to the vehicle.

:histeric: :yup:

Long short heavy objects (kids in bus or floor jack in trunk) should always be secured to the vehicle.

somehow from a physics stand point I can't see the tissue box doing that much for two reasons
1.Not enough mass
2.Terminal Velocity

OK Lesson learned: ALL FAT kids stitting in the back of the bus should buckle up. Skinny kids are like that tissue box, you would just get annoyed by being pelted with them. lmao

:histeric:

In my understanding the reason why there are no seat belts on school buses is because of the possiblity of a roll over. If such a thing happens, how can you get kids from first grade and up to actually navigate themeselves to those emergency exits? It's much harder to unbuckle a seatbelt when there is pressure applied (in this case from the student's weight), and especially when there is a panic.

As for being thrashed around in the school bus? Unless the school bus hits a brick wall, seat belts aren't going to be very useful. Hitting any smaller vehicle transfers most of the energy to that car and the kids should be safe enough. And *that* is why I drive a Cadillac...

In my understanding the reason why there are no seat belts on school buses is because of the possiblity of a roll over. If such a thing happens, how can you get kids from first grade and up to actually navigate themeselves to those emergency exits? It's much harder to unbuckle a seatbelt when there is pressure applied (in this case from the student's weight), and especially when there is a panic.

Most deaths and dismemberments during rollovers occur due to body or body parts being ejected from vehicle and getting dismembered. (if the person is restrained during the roll, he or she is much more likely to survive)


As for being thrashed around in the school bus? Unless the school bus hits a brick wall, seat belts aren't going to be very useful. Hitting any smaller vehicle transfers most of the energy to that car and the kids should be safe enough. And *that* is why I drive a Cadillac...

I see your train of thought there but I still think its better to be buckled than not. Not sure on the odds but whats the chances on a bus flippin over and landing upside down and what the odds on a bus hitting a big object (like another bus, truck, wall or bulding)? I think the latter is more likely.

There's no doubt that a case can be made for installing seatbelts in busses. The cost would be staggering but what the hell, "if it saves the life of one child....." Blah, blah, blah.
The issue is not whether the busses have seatbelts or not, it's whether the kids will be wearing them when an accident occurs. I think in most cases, they'd be more trouble than they're worth. Hell, you can't even get bus drivers to make sure they don't leave a kid in the bus at the end of a run, now you think you're going to get them to verify the kids are in the seatbelts? Not going to happen. The money would be better spent obtaining better drivers IMO.

I would wear a seat belt if maybe my bus was this one...


http://www.maj.com/gallery/muxmetal/weird-car/21.jpg

hmm look like it might have eldorado drivetrin packed into it , look at those front wheels

When I was younger we used to wack each other with the seatbelts. And we'd buckle them across the isle and trip kids. Hahahaha! We were so cool.

aaaaaah, that brings back alot of memories, lol

Heh....

back when I went to a nearby town until 6th grade, they had 80's Internationals.... half of them didn't have seat belts.

But at my current school, all we have for full size are 1996+ Blue Birds... which ALL have seat belts (lap belts) but nobody wears them... actually, they are nice buses...

our smaller busses are Ford E350's, couple with the V10, they are nice, they ride surprisingly good, are quiet, have tinted windows, tall ceilings, and the Ford that we had today (coming back form Vo-tech) had a huge Carriear AC unit in it :)

I thought all ne buses had seat belts though?

I argee... wearing seat belts in the bus is pointless though...

Ok, heres my take:

1.) Seat belts help in roll over accidents

2.) I do not think seat belts in a school bus would help slamming into an object, or having the school bus hit the brakes. If the kids are sitting properly in the seat, facing forward, they will be fine. They will not be thrown through a windshield unlike a car, they are in a barrier, most of the time if your tall, or have long leg's your locked in down there.

Cons, if the bus catches fire with lets say elementary kids on it, they are going to be crying, how will they get un-buckled? Fire's spread fast.

Next con, bus flips over and catches fire, how will the kids get out???

As long as they keep the seat backs high, and roof line low, this shouldnt be a big problem. I know on some newer school buses, they are raising the roof height to make it look fancy, this is dumb, it just gives more room for the kids to fly in the event of a roll over, and does not help with the integrity, the smaller the box is:


Imagine a square: _ _ _ _ (1 side sides of a square)

Now, imagine a bigger square: _ _ _ _ _

The smaller square will roll over easier with less resistance, while the big square will roll over harder and is more likely to crumble, thats just my opinion.

Seat belts should be optional, where at your own risk, when you feel the need.

Imagine a square: _ _ _ _ (1 side sides of a square)

Now, imagine a bigger square: _ _ _ _ _

The smaller square will roll over easier with less resistance, while the big square will roll over harder and is more likely to crumble, thats just my opinion.



taller square will have a higher center of gravity, more susceptable to dynamic motion induced roll overs. (SUV's vs Cars)

And since the width of buses can't be increased due to road width limits...the increase in dimensions are often more rectangular, hence even more prone to rolling.....right?


You've got a good point about the fire but all in all I still think seatbelts are safer than no seatbelts. Crash test after crash test proves its the best way to save lives.......if smashing into a seatback were so great, Princess Di would still be around.

.......if smashing into a seatback were so great, Princess Di would still be around.
but here is a arguement for putting money into beatter drivers for the buses ..beause if it werent for the drunken frenchman she would be alive .... :histeric:

Better pay for teachers!! And the whole school system!

If the resources were there we'd have less pedophiles, safer buses and bus drivers, smarter kids......it makes no sense that school teachers in this country get paid like pizza boys.

Priorities are fked up.

Better pay for teachers!! And the whole school system!


Do Americans REALLY want increased taxes to give more money to the public schooling system like Canada does? I don't know how else it could be improved.

Cons, if the bus catches fire with lets say elementary kids on it, they are going to be crying, how will they get un-buckled? Fire's spread fast.

Next con, bus flips over and catches fire, how will the kids get out???




Buses are HIGHLY unlikely to catch fire. They are all built with flame retardant materials. The gas tank might explode, but other than that there will be no fire that doesn't involve gasoline. Also the risk of the gas tank catching fire and blowing up is highly unlikely also. It has about the same risk of fire as any other vehicle. The only things I can see happening are the bus flipping, sinking in water, falling off a cliff, running into another bus (or somthing of similar size) or running into a building. Still It would usually be more of an escape hinderance then a help, IMHO.

Do Americans REALLY want increased taxes to give more money to the public schooling system like Canada does? I don't know how else it could be improved.

Nah...no more taxation. I think its just a priority issue. We spent ba-zillions on "defense" while cutting funding for education. Just a better budget, asset re-allocation should do it. Its not like bulding sattelites, its doesn't cost as much to give teachers a small raise and fix a few problems IMHO.