Senate moves to mandate school bus seatbelts

PROVIDENCE – The state Senate on Tuesday moved forward with approval of a bill that would phase in the use of seat belts on school buses and also require school districts to create bus safety plans that include evacuation drills.

The bill, S-2256 was sponsored by Sen. Adam J. Satchell and would require that all new school buses purchased or leased in Rhode Island be equipped with seat belts for the driver and every passenger seat.

After the purchase of one or more school buses equipped with seat belts, each school district would be required to prepare a plan for the implementation and use of seat belts, including evacuation drills in case of an emergency, within one year of the receipt of the new buses, according to Meredyth Whitty, a Senate spokeswoman.

Senator Satchell said in a statement he introduced the bill because, while Rhode Island has a mandatory seat belt law for passenger vehicles and children are expected to ride in child restraint seats or boosters until at least age 8 in cars, students are left with no safety restraints at all on school buses.

“Seat belts save lives and prevent injuries. While school bus accidents are fortunately not common, a child who is wearing a seat belt during one is less likely to get hurt than a child who isn’t,” said Senator Satchell (D-Dist. 9, West Warwick). “This is a commonsense safety improvement that, in 2016, we really should adopt for the protection of children,” Satchell said.

The seat belt requirement would apply only to new school buses, and would not require existing school buses to retrofitted, according to Whitty, so it would not place a significant financial burden on school districts or transportation companies.

The legislation includes the requirement that districts with seat belt-equipped buses adopt plans that include evacuation drills to ensure that children are experienced in releasing their seat belts in case evacuation is ever necessary. Senator Satchell also pointed out that Rhode Island law requires bus monitors on all buses carrying children in grades kindergarten through 5, so monitors could also help younger children if they need any assistance with their seat belts.