Connecticut Student Dies in Bus Crash
A Connecticut student and science enthusiast was killed when the school bus he was on was involved in a crash with a car. After the collision with the car, the school bus went over and down an embankment. Because the bus was not equipped with seat-belts, students had nothing to restrain them from being violently thrown about the interior of the bus. One student died, and another was hospitalized, according to The Hartford Courant and other sources.
Legal responsibility has yet to be determined for the cause of the crash. However, it is clear that seat-belts did not play a role in the accident because, as is the casee with almost all Connecticut school buses, they were not installed on that bus. Connecticut law does not currently require seat-belts. Why not? Economics is obviously the key component, as safety considerations must be weighed against the costs of implementation. There are studies and general concerns that simple lap belts could be more harmful than helpful, causing whipping type injuries. Combination restraints that incluude lap and shoulder belts may not only be too costly, they may be impossible to install in buses currently on the road. Is this the best we can do? Buses and other vehicles that transport people for money are already subject to stricter legal standards of care as "Common Carriers" under Connecticut Law. This means that operators of regular buses, taxis, trolleys and similar road vehicles are required to follow higher safety rules than ordinary driverrs.
School bus drivers have the added responsibility of driving our children, who cannot look out for themselves. Even a teacher's presence cannot add any measure of security where seat-belts are lacking. What to do?
If you have been on a school bus recently, or remember from your own past, you will note or recall that they are as bare bones a means of transportation as there is anywhere. It is clear that only legislation to require some form of restraint on Connecticut's school buses, both for new vehicles, and to retrofit the old ones, will be a step in the right direction. I support such legislation and encourage you to contact your local state representatives to show your support for Representative Antonio Guerrera, D-Rocky Hill, who is calling for these reforms. Here is a liink to your state legislators: ">http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/CGAFindLeg.asp
