Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Currently, several states require should safety states require school buses to have shoulder safety belts, but Massachusetts is not among them. According to the Registry of Motor Vehicles, there were 1,730 school bus accidents reported in the Commonwealth in 2008, and almost a thousand more reported in 2009. The state has roughly 9,000 school buses registered.
Though Massachusetts recently passed a bill banning texting while driving and requiring older drivers to pass more frequent testing, legislators have overlooked this safety loophole. A school safety belt law was presented and killed in the United States’ Transportation Committee back in 2008. This year, the Public Safety Committee has recommended that Congress pass the bill. It’s currently in the House Committee awaiting a recommendation before going to a full House vote.
Unfortunately, many lawmakers are not familiar with the bill and there seems to be limited momentum for getting the bill passed.
Source: Seat belt bill for school buses gets low priority, Telegram.com, July 28, 2010
If your child has been injured in a school bus accident, please contact our Massachusetts traffic accident attorneys to discuss your legal options.
