Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
The government is thinking about some new safety rules for school buses. Higher seatbacks and even seat belts soon could be required.
School buses are considered one of the safest ways for students to travel.
"I think there should be seat belts in case you get in a car accident," one student said.
Another told us, "With seat belts it's hard to move. A lot of the time you've got to get other people on there (the seat)."
Still, a series of high-profile crashes around the country have the government recommending today that larger school buses get taller seatbacks and small school buses get three-point, lap-and-shoulder seat belts. Smaller buses currently are required to have lap belts.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters told The Associated Press that the equipment changes were prompted by a November 2006 bus crash that killed four students near Huntsville, Ala.
Peters says the government is not requiring seat belts on larger buses because they would limit the number of student passengers.
Similar recommendations first were made six years ago. Now the government says it wants the changes made by 2011.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
(The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
