In the case of an accident, a sudden brake or jerk of a bus, a seat belt would protect passengers by preventing them from being thrown out of their seats. This is most effective if a bus were to be involved in a collision that caused it to roll over. The use of seat belts could save lives or prevent serious injury.
If all school buses were equipped with seat belts, then children would learn to regard them as vital safety tools in all vehicles, and they would become accustomed to wearing a seat belt regardless of what vehicle they are riding in.
The cost of a seat belt can be as little as $2 per passenger, according to the localschooldirectory.com. However, bus manufacturers claim it would cost an extra $1,500 to $2,000 on each new bus. Compared to the price of a life or severe injury to a person, this could be value for money in the longer term.
If seat belts were made compulsory, passengers would not stand, walk or (in the case of children) misbehave while on a bus because they would be secured in place. This would reduce the risk of injury during an accident or sudden braking, and it would reduce distractions for the driver.
