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©Stephen A. Langford, Oro Valley, Arizona, 7 September 1996

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APPENDIX A. COMPARTMENTALIZATION

p. 3: Compartmentalization has not produced " ... a significant reduction in the number of school-bus-related injuries" (From 22 August 1985 USA Today, "Protect Our Children: Require Seat Belts," by Laura Schwartz).

CAROL FAST'S TESTIMONIAL BEFORE NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

p. 77: "WHAT EVIDENCE EXISTS THAT A CHILD WOULD NOT BE INJURED WHEN HIS UPPER BODY PIVOTS about the belt and strikes the seat ahead?....the 1978 NHTSA study proved that the head injury criteria levels did not fall within the realm of [critical] danger. But what was observed was potential danger to the throat and neck of the unbelted large dummy and the spine of the unbelted dummies. This is never reported by those who oppose seatbelts. This further study to the unbelted dummies has never been done. Besides, this study was only front end. In any other type of accident [And, note in the table on p. 169 that 35% of front-end accidents produce a rollover.--S.L.], especially side collision and roll-over, the compartmentalization can't hold up" (From Carol Fast's 20 December 1984 testimony before the Nassau County, New York, Board of Supervisors, during public hearing on seatbelts and standees.)

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS TESTIMONY BY J. R. ZANGA, M.D.

p. 86: "Lest someone tell you that despite what I have said, the buses themselves are intrinsically safe, and that by 'compartmentalization' protect children from the harm of crash events, please recognize that current design safety standards were intended primarily to protect children from the forces of a front end crash (and even there they do an inadequate job). Unfortunately the majority of accidents involving buses have little to do with the front end of the vehicle. Buses are, more commonly, struck from the side at intersections or experience rear end or rollover collisions. These are precisely the accidents in which safety belts would unquestionably be life savers. [These last statistics do not exactly jibe with those on p. 169 of the NCSSB Manual, where it is noted that 55.9% of accidents are due to front-end collisions. However, 35.3% of front-enders result in rollovers, 14.7% of occupant fatalities result from side-impact colliosions, and fully 50% of all occupant fatalities result from rollover accidents (NHTSA data, 1981-1983).--S.L.] (From Joseph R. Zanga, M.D., 1 May 1985, Testimony before the Subcommittee on Transportation Committee Appropriations, House of Representatives, on Mandatory Seat Belts in School Buses, pp. 84-8 of NCSSB manual.)

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD (TRB) ON COMPARTMENTALIZATION

p. 142: "'The safety board would strongly support decisions by parents and state and local school authorities to install occupant restraint systems in their large school buses on an after- market basis,' reads the new N.T.S.B. document. But it turns out that by 'occupant restraint systems,' the safety board doesn't necessarily mean seat belts; rather, the phrase refers to the various seat specifications spelled out in the 1977 standards. 'If you have a bus built before 1977,' says N.T.S.B. official Barry Sweedler, 'it's cheaper to retrofit it to meet federal standards than to buy a new bus'" (From The American School Board Journal, circa 1983). [Later federal studies (e.g. May 1989 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Special Report 222) mandate phasing pre-1977 buses out altogether, rather than retrofitting them for seatbelts.--S.L.]

NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) ON COMPARTMENTALIZATION

p. 163: "School buses are the safest form of surface transportation. In 1983, 42,589 people were killed in traffic accidents. Only 17 were school bus occupants. On average for 1981-1983, 11 passengers and 1 driver were killed in school bus accidents and 30 were seriously injured. [What is the definition of a serious injury, please? Quad-, paraplegic? Such statements of "serious injury" are meaningless, in absence of such definitions. At least we get to count the dead, who fall into a clear-cut category!--S.L.] The subject of occupant protection in large school buses is complex. Based on extensive research and public rulemaking, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded by 1977 that the concept of 'compartmentalization' - i.e., strong, well-padded seats with high seat backs and better seat spacing to safely retain and cushion students during a [front-end, non-rollover.--S.L.] crash - would be an 'automatic' system to protect children effectively in large school buses without requiring safety belts. All available test data and real world accident data indicate that this concept has worked extremely well. (From Executive Summary excerpts, Safety Belts in School Buses, June 1985, NHTSA, Traffic Safety Programs, Wash., D.C.). [And, some people still take the Warren-Commission report at face value!--S.L.]

p. 167: "Federal Motor Safety Standard (FMVSS) 222, 'School Bus Passenger Seating and Crash Protection,' sets requirements for the interior of large school buses which provide children a high level of protection without the need to 'buckle up.' [This is an irresponsible statement.--S.L.] The standard requires high [not high enough.--S.L.] and strong seats and seat backs, seat back padding, and seat spacing that reduces the chance of the occupant being thrown over the seat in front. The approach taken to bus safety is commonly referred to as compartmentalization. Compartmentalization, as outlined in the standard, requires strength in the entire seating system which includes the floor, the seat frame and the fastening of the frames to the floor while at the same time providing seat system padding and flexibility to absorb energy in a crash....

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p. 167: "NHTSA believes that the occupant protection required in school buses manufactured after April 1, 1977, plus the inherent safety of a highly recognizable vehicle that travels on a regular route, provides a high level of safety protection" (From Safety Belts in School Buses, NHTSA Traffic Safety Programs, June 1985; pp. 162 - 177 of NCSSB manual.) [Federally mandated seat backs are not high enough, in the opinion of NCSSB, CCS, New York State, and many other concerned people and organizations! Compartmentalization does not provide protection during rollovers, which are responsible for most injuries and deaths in school-bus accidents. NHTSA does not err on the side of safety. Safety first!--S.L.]

[Return to Home Page ] [Title Page ] [Preface to 1996 Edition ] [About the Author ] [Foreword to 1990 Edition ] [Table of Contents ] [Main Body ] [Appendix B. TRB Special Report 222, May 1989 ] [Appendix C. Endorsements ] [Appendix D. Testimonials ] [Appendix E. Studies and Recommendations ] [Appendix F. Legalities ] [Appendix G. Guidelines to Seatbelt Implementation] [INDEX ] [Responses To This Site ] [Related Sites ]

©Stephen A. Langford, Oro Valley, Arizona, 29 September 1996.  
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  This document may be freely transmitted in its entirety, 
so long as no monies are earned during the transaction/s.  Permission is required 
for any and all other pertinent circumstances.

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