The continuing debate over seat belts on school buses led to a provision in the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act of 1987 requesting that the National Academy of Sciences examine the causes of school bus accidents and evaluate the effectiveness of safety measures, including seat belts, that might better protect children while they are boarding, riding, and leaving school buses. This Special Report presents the results of that study. It includes the following chapters: (1) Introduction; (2) School Bus Transportation in the United States; (3) Frequency and Characteristics of School Bus Accidents; (4) Measures To Enhance the Safety of School Bus Passengers; (5) Measures To Prevent School Bus and Pedestrian Accidents; (6) Cost-Effectiveness of School Bus Safety Measures; and (7) Conclusions and Recommendations. Appendices A through E supply additional information on school bus accidents, including statistics and narrative material, and the results of a cost effectiveness analysis of school bus safety measures.
Abstract