Are seat belts required on school buses?

Seat belts on school buses are not required equipment. School buses utilize the "compartmentalization" concept to insure student safety. Since the mid-70's the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined that this approach to student safety is the most practical for school buses. Compartmentalization is an arrangement whereby seats are placed close together to absorb the energy of a child's body thrown against it. Additional padding, higher seat backs, frame construction, and anchoring requirements make compartmentalization the accepted industry standard.

Efforts are currently underway to revisit the seat belt issue on a national scale. Testing is currently being done to determine what the next generation of child restraints for school buses might be.

Under certain circumstances, seat belts are utilized in Special Education vehicles.

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1. How do I learn whether my child is eligible for transportation?
2. Do the schools own the yellow buses?
3. How do I know the exact time my child will be picked up/dropped off and where?
4. What should I do if the bus doesn't show up?
5. My child is not eligible for transportation. Can my child still ride the bus?
6. The bus goes right by my house. Why can't it stop here?
7. I do not want my child picked up and dropped off at my address; I want him/her picked up and dropped off at daycare. Can I do that?
8. I think my child is eligible for transportation but I'm told the distance is not far enough? How do I resolve this?
9. My child occasionally needs to ride home to a different location. Is this possible?
10. Why do some buses look empty?
11. What happens if my child loses something on the bus?
12. Are seat belts required on school buses?
13. I have a complaint about a bus driver. Who do I contact?
14. My child is a Special Education student. Who do I contact to arrange transportation?
15. Do you need a special license to drive a school bus?
16. Do students practice emergency evacuations from the school bus?