Is it Safe for Our Children to Ride School Buses?

Every day children climb up into the big yellow school buses and head off to school. But just how safe are those buses for our children?

Statistics say that in actuality, children riding in school buses are about four times safer than children being transported in cars, vans, or SUVs. It seems to be a fact that is some cases, bigger is better.

School buses are also designed to be what is termed "compartmentalized" which means the seats are spaced closed together and have higher than normal seat backs. This helps provide a small "compartment" in the event of an accident.

Still, the issue has been argued for years that school buses should have seat belts. Yet, others hold firm to the belief that the vast amount of funds needed to equip school buses with seat belts would be better spent on other items. They claim that children are in more danger when getting on or off of the bus than when riding it.

However, smaller school buses are now being required to have seat belts. The reasoning behind this is that they are similar to a normal car or van.

Naturally when you think of school bus safety, the most prominent issue is the school bus driver. Is he or she trained and qualified to drive a school bus?

In Kentucky, a Drivers Training Program as been implemented with thousands of certified school bus drivers. In fact, Kentucky has become a model for other states across the nation. However, while Kentucky may be well known for its drivers training program, it also holds the tragic claim of the worst school bus accident in history.

That accident happened on February 28, 1958, in Floyd County, Kentucky. School Bus Number 27 was carrying 48 students when it left the road and ended up in the Big Sandy River. Twenty-six students and the driver died that day. Three families actually lost all of their children while others lost one or two of their children. You can read more about that horrific accident and even hear songs written about it at http://obscurecountry.com/bus27.html and also at the Big Sandy Bus Accident 1958.

While Kentucky also bears the heavy load of having the second worst bus accident, it was a church bus, not a school bus.

So, are our children really safe riding on the big yellow buses? The answer is yes. However, you, as a parent can help your child learn some basic school bus rules that will help make riding the bus safer.

Those rules include staying in their seats, obeying bus rules, and being extra careful when boarding or exiting the bus. Hopefully, by following these simple rules, riding the bus to and from school will not only be remembered as a means of transportation, but with fond memories as a time to spend with friends.

Credits: http://education.ky.gov

Big Sandy Bus Accident 1958