Bus Safety Task Force Deliberates
on Seatbelts But Moves Forward on Action Items
JEFFERSON CITY, August 4, 2005—Gov. Matt Blunts’
Bus Safety Task Force deliberated for almost five hours today attempting
to finalize drafted recommendations to improve and build on bus safety.
The task force anticipates making meaningful recommendations to the
governor within the next two weeks before most schools gears up.
“The task force is getting to the heart of accident prevention
and although Missouri school transportation is safe there is always
room for improvement, our recommendations seek to pave the way ensuring
our positive record stays intact,” said Chairman and Public
Safety Director Mark James.
Over the past two months the group has heard from numerous presenters,
experts in the field and statistical studies. During the discussion
and debate phase, the group agreed to make recommendations understanding
the economical impact however, not being intimidated by cost factors.
The need for seatbelts on school buses was the hot
topic after several bus crashes occurred around the state earlier
this year. The larger question is whether seatbelts will significantly
reduce and mitigate injury. The task force sought input from school
bus drivers on a variety of issues including safety harnesses. Sixty-nine
percent of the 244 respondents were against implemented any type of
seatbelt.
The group strongly disagreed with implementing lap belts
or “retro-fitting” seatbelts concluding the system would
result in serious neck and spine injury. However, the group, stopped
short of discounting the lap and shoulder combination usually referred
as three-point harness. Before the next meeting, the group plans to
study liability issues involved in implementing this type of harness.
Other action items were detailed and explored throughout
the meeting including more adequate training for drivers, other motorist,
teachers and students, an effective means to reviewing technology
aimed at bus safety and pilot programs to help secure missing and
incomplete data on bus safety in Missouri.
The task force recognizes many of these action items
discussed today, if implemented, would fall under the jurisdiction
of DESE and therefore the group intends to recommend appointing a
state director of Pupil Transportation to oversee, monitor and supervise
pupil transportation in the state.