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Seatbelts recommended for school buses
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Posted on Jul 11 2000
The Public School System Pupil Transportation has disclosed plans to meet with the Bureau of Motor Vehicle and review existing transportation laws which apparently overlooked the installation of seatbelts in school buses.
Placing student safety on top of its priorities, the PSS busing fleet is proposing that authorities mandate all school buses to be equipped with seatbelts to minimize the impact of accidents.
PSS Administrative Services Officer Jess Sanchez cited during a training on Defensive Driving for its personnel yesterday that school children aboard the buses are at risk without the seat belts.
“Although the chances are very slim that students will not be harmed, we can’t take any of these chances. This is especially dangerous in cliff accidents,” Mr. Sanchez pointed out.
PSS’ 18 regular buses only provide bus drivers and not students with safety belts, according to Mr. Sanchez.
The pupil transportation is set to recommend this measure to the BMV and the Board of Education.
Following a bus-related accident injuring a grade school student last year, Mr. Sanchez also suggested if BMV could look at the possibility of translating road signs and driving manuals for the benefit of foreign nationals who also use CNMI roads.
Last year’s bus accident which occurred at one of the As Lito bus stops is considered the most serious the PSS transportation fleet has encountered in years.
As a result of the mishap, PSS has been considering other bus pick-up alternatives targeted to prevent such accidents.
The school system is also seeking the opinion of the National Transportation Safety Board on bus safety issues to help PSS bus drivers in dealing with accidents in the future.
“We have been wanting to implement some new safety measures whenever we pick up students at designated bus stops but we need the NTSB to authorize us,” Mr. Sanchez said, as he also called the cooperation of local enforcers. (MM)
