This Is Why School Buses Should Have Seatbelts

When I was a kid, I learned that buckling up saved lives. Before then, quite a few cars didn't even come with seatbelts, which today is pretty much unthinkable. I remember using lap belts, something I today know are actually pretty dangerous.

Even when I was young, I thought it was completely insane that school buses didn't come with seatbelts of any kind. I heard all the excuses: school buses are so big they aren't necessary, kids won't use them, they'll only injure people, etc.

As far as I know, only six states today require safety belts in school buses. Six! Apparently, people still think that school buses don't crash, or that when they do the kids won't go flying. I can remember some of my bus drivers flying down the road and being scared at how fast we were going.

Take a moment to watch this crash test video, which shows what happens to kids that are secured using three-point belts versus those who are just sitting on the seats unrestrained. Imagine if any of the crash dummies were actual children and the kinds of injuries they would sustain.