School Bus Passenger Safety | Toledo, Ohio Child Accident Lawyer

Most people believe that school children are not protected during a crash because school buses do not have seat belts. In fact, school buses are designed with a clever occupant protection system that fits both a kindergarten student and a high school senior, without the need for seat belts.

This occupant protection system is called compartmentalization: the seats are strong, closely spaced together, high backed, well padded, and are designed to absorb energy during a crash.  Compartmentalization works best in frontal and rear impact scenarios.

School buses are surprisingly one of the safest forms of transportation on the road today. An average of only 7 passengers are fatally injured each year as school buses carry over 23.5 million children daily. The Safety Board continues to investigate school bus crashes to ensure that this safety record

The Safety Board conducted a study on Bus Crashworthiness Issues. The conclusions of this study focus on several main issues:

• Occupants in the seating compartment but not in the area of intrusion were less likely to be seriously injured.
• Seatbelts do not prevent injuries in all crash situations and can actually increase injuries with the current school bus seat design.
• An occupant crash protection system should be developed that would protect school bus passengers in most accident scenarios.

If you or someone you know has a child who has been injured by one of child accidents listed above you need information. Contact our Ohio child accident lawyers at 800.637.8170 to order your free copy of Little Kids, Big Accidents.