HD10 - School Bus Safety

  • Published: 1986
  • Author: Department of Education
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 228 (Regular Session, 1985)

Executive Summary:
House Joint Resolution No. 228, agreed to during the 1985 Session of the General Assembly, requested the Department of Education to conduct a study of school bus safety. The resolution may be found in Appendix A of this report.

House Joint Resolution No. 228 requested that the Department of Education:

1. Examine the need for equipping new and old school buses with seat belts.

2. Examine the efficacy of using seat belts for small students, particularly those in Grades K-3.

3. Examine whether the use of seat belts on school buses will result in behavior modification in the use of seat belts in cars.

4. Examine the feasibility of requiring instruction on seat belt safety in the health curricula.

5. Examine the need for emergency communication devices on school buses.

6. Examine the need for inspection of older buses and revision of their capacities.

7. Examine the appropriateness of current driver qualifications.

8. Examine the appropriateness of the sites for loading and unloading of students.

A 15-member advisory committee was appointed by S. John Davis, superintendent of public instruction, to assist the Department of Education in conducting the study of school bus safety.