Why Don’t Minnesota School Buses Have Seat Belts?

You've probably seen the horrific video showing a cement truck crossing the center line and clipping a Texas school bus full of children. The impact caused the bus to lose control and it ended up rolling onto its side. 51 people were injured and sadly two lost their lives.

That incident has caused many to wonder why school buses aren't equipped with seat belts. Minnesota State Trooper Troy Christianson provided an answer for anyone who might be concerned in his weekly 'Ask a Trooper' column.

Why Don't Minnesota School Buses Have Seat Belts?

Sgt. Christianson says, " School buses are one of the safest modes of transportation even without seatbelts. School buses are safer because of their large size and design."

The Minnesota State Trooper explained, "School bus interiors are designed on “compartmentalization”, which packs seats closely together and covers them with energy-absorbing pads. This minimizes their movement upon impact."

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, school buses make at least 10,000 school bus trips daily in our state and children onboard are eight times safer riding in a bus than any other vehicle.

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Only nine states, Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Iowa currently have laws requiring seat belts in school buses.

Unfortunately, crashes like the recent one in Texas may occur, but according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses remain the safest mode of transportation on the road. Statistics show that traveling by school bus is approximately 70 times safer than commuting to school by car.