DOT announces school bus safety requirements

Nov 25, 2008

New federal school bus safety rules mandate higher seat backs as well as new requirements for lap and shoulder belts on small buses, the Department of Transportation announced in October.

The final rule (.pdf file), which will be phased-in through 2011, requires all new school buses in America to be equipped with 24-inch-high seat backs, instead of the current 20-inch-high seat backs. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said the higher seat backs will help prevent taller and heavier children from being thrown over the seat in a crash. Meanwhile, school buses that weigh less than 5 tons will be required to have three-point lap and shoulder seat belts.

Existing federal grant funding will be available to districts to pay for seat belt installations, DOT said.

The agency said 127 individuals and organizations commented on the rule. The decision to require lap and shoulder belts on large school buses received the most comments. Other comments questioned whether seat belts would reduce passenger capacity and create cost issues for school districts and families.