[Return to Home Page ] [Title Page ] [Preface to 1996 Edition ] [About the Author ] [Foreword to 1990 Edition ] [Table of Contents ] [Main Body ] [Appendix A. Compartmentalization ] [Appendix B. TRB Special Report 222, May 1989 ] [Appendix D. Testimonials ] [Appendix E. Studies and Recommendations ] [Appendix F. Legalities ] [Appendix G. Guidelines to Seatbelt Implementation] [INDEX ] [Responses To This Site ] [Related Sites ]
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©Stephen A. Langford, Oro Valley, Arizona, 7 September 1996
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APPENDIX C. ENDORSEMENTS
Medical endorsements are followed by other endorsements.
MEDICAL ENDORSEMENTS
p. 3: Opponents " ... who claim that seat belts will injure the undeveloped bodies of small children overlook the endorsements of major medical organizations" (From 22 August 1985 USA Today, "Protect Our Children: Require Seat Belts," by Laura Schwartz).
American Medical Association (AMA)
p. 28: The AMA (American Medical Association) supports " ... legislative action to promote availability of effective seat belts in all school buses in the United States ... and [supports] legislative action to promote availability of effective seat belts in all motor vehicles in public use, including public and private buses (including school buses), taxicabs, and any other vehicles carrying passengers" (From excerpts of June 1984 AMA Convention House Action No 2, Introduced by Edward Press, M. D., Delegate, American Association of Public Health Physicians).
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
p. 29: A letter from Thomas C. Nelson, Executive Director, Am. Acad. Orthopaedic Surgeons, to Peter H. Kostmayer, Representative, 8th District, Pennsylvania, offers Kostmayer assistance in his effort to pass "H.R. 5511, which provides incentive grants for the states requiring installation of seat belts in school buses" (1984 letter).
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
p. 30: "Unsupported arguments have been presented in an effort to prevent seat belt installation on school buses. Among these are:
"1. Children can't handle the buckle adequately. (The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that all children, given their familiarity with seat belts and buckles, should be able to satisfactorily buckle and unbuckle seat belts.)
"2. The buckles would entrap children and could leave them dangling from the ceiling in accidents in which the bus overturned. (This is true, but it is still preferable for children to be strapped in rather than thrown out of the seat or the vehicle at the time of an accident.)
"3. Wearing seat belts would produce internal injuries. (With the restraints presently available, any school aged child can safely wear a seat belt.)
"4. Children could use the belts as weapons. (Children have much better weapons available, including lunch boxes and books. In addition, the newer, lightweight, smaller, retractable seat belts now available are unlikely to be effective as weapons.)
"Based on a review of the available and extensive data, the American Academy of Pediatrics supports the following changes in School Bus Safety Standards:
"1. Seat backs should be elevated to 28 inches. This is four inches above the height now mandated by federal regulations and will support and cushion a child's head and neck.
"2. All seat backs and tops should be padded with firm materials that adequately [absorb] impact. The padding should completely cover the entire rear of the seat in addition to the top rail. The padding also should be placed on all stanchions and "modesty panels." Seat construction should be designed to eliminate sharp or unyielding objects that could cause or worsen injury.
"3. Seat belts should be required on all newly manufactured buses--regardless of their size and the number of pupils transported.
"4. Adequate and appropriate bus driver training should be mandatory in all school districts and should include provision for health screening on a periodic basis, including vision and hearing evaluations" (this set of quotations from AAP [American Acad. Pediatrics] News/February 1985).
American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM)
p. 31: "The Medicine is supportive of efforts to provide seatbelts on school buses.... The College supports the [immediate] installation of seatbelts in new school buses as [immediate] preventive action to protect the health of children" (From a 26 June 1984 letter to Carol Fast, from William M. Kane, Executive Director, Am. Coll. Preventive Medicine).
Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAM)
p. 32: "The Society for Adolescent Medicine, whose primary concern is the health and welfare of youth, strongly supports the use of seat belts when riding in school buses. (The Executive Council accepted this statement in May 1985.)" (From a "Position Statement Use of Seat Belts on School Buses, Soc. Adolesc. Medicine, 1985).
American Assoc. Oral, Maxillofacial Surg. (AAOMS)
p. 33: "RESOLVED, that the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, by its Board of Trustees, committees and Fellowships, endorse, advocate and counsel the use of seat belts, safety restraints, or combinations thereof, in all motor vehicles with compartments designed for the carriage of passengers, including school buses: to patients and the public in general" (adopted by majority vote) and
"RESOLVED, to support legislative endeavors in this area of protection of the public health" (also adopted by majority vote, House of Delegates of Am. Assoc. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, 7 October 1985).
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©Stephen A. Langford, Oro Valley, Arizona, 7 September 1996
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@SUBHEAD = OTHER ENDORSEMENTS
In addition to the above medical endorsements, other endorsements in support of seatbelts on school buses include the following.
Endorsements of National PTA Convention, 1985
"RESOLUTION TO ENCOURAGE RETIREMENT OF PRE-1977 TYPE I LARGE SCHOOL BUSES
"WHEREAS: The National PTA is concerned for the safety of children and youth; and
"WHEREAS: Prior to 1977 school buses were not required to meet minimum federal safety construction standards which include school bus rollover protection (standard #220), school bus body joint strength (standard #221), school bus passenger seating and crash protection (standard #222), fuel system integrity (standard #301), and adequate protection from flammability of interior materials (standard #302); therefore be it
p. 128: "Resolved: That the National PTA urges local PTA units to review the age of the school buses in use in their school districts, whether owned or leased, and encourage the retirement of pre-1977 Type I large school buses which do not meet minimum federal standards for construction (From Resolution #13, Adopted by the 1985 National PTA Convention).
p. 129: "Resolution #14"FEDERAL SEAT BELT STANDARDS ON TYPE I LARGE SCHOOL BUSES
"WHEREAS: The National PTA is concerned for the safety of children and youth; and
"WHEREAS: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration supports the decision by local school districts to install seat belts in large Type I school buses; and
"WHEREAS: Small Type II school buses have federal seat belt installation standards; and
"WHEREAS: Districts that choose to install seat belts have no federal guidelines to follow; therefore be it
"Resolved: That the National PTA request that the federal government develop installation standards for seat belts on large Type I school buses; and be it further
"Resolved: That the National PTA urge local units to encourage their Boards of Education to equip with seat belts all new buses ordered for use in their district, based upon these guidelines" (From Resolution #14, Adopted by the 1985 National PTA Convention).
Coalition for Child Safety (CCS) takes the position that a lack of federal guidelines is no excuse for inaction by local school boards, regarding the seatbelt installation issue. Several guidelines for seatbelt installation are available and manufacturers of satisfactory equipment are identifiable. CCS is ready, with the cooperation of NCSSB, to render assistance to school boards, in these regards.
National Safety Town Center (NSTC) Endorsement
p. 34: "Kindly allow me to take this opportunity to ... inform you to include our organization, National Safety Town Center, as an endorser of...Belts on Buses.... THANK YOU...for caring and sharing...about the safety of our precious children" (From a 24 October 1985 letter to SAFE RIDE NEWS, from Dorothy Chlad, Founder and President, National Safety Town Center).
Center for Auto Safety (CAS) Endorsement
p. 35: "The Center for Auto Safety has long advocated federal mandate of seat belts on school buses. We believe recent developments underscore the urgency and importance of requiring these lifesaving devices on school buses as soon as possible.... Seat belts, along with higher seat backs and more padding, will cause a dramatic improvement in child passenger safety. It has been estimated that, over the course of a school year, seat belts would cost about 75 cents per child. The Center believes most people would agree, there is no comparison between a child's life and this miniscule cost.... A comprehensive federal belt requirement is urgently needed to ensure [that] all children who ride on school buses in this nation will have the benefit of these lifesaving devices. For this reason, and those above, the Center for Auto safety fully supports your bill, H.R. 3305, the National School Bus Safety Act of 1985, and hopes that your continued efforts will lead to swift and full consideration of this measure by Congress"
p. 37: "This is to strongly protest the representation in your [School Bus Fleet-- S.L.] article "Seat Belt Tug of War" (October/November 1984) that the Center for Auto Safety is opposed to seat belts in school buses. In fact, the Center has never waivered in its commitment to the mandatory installation of seat belts in school buses.... In light of these inaccuracies, the Center for Auto Safety expects a full retraction of the article's reference to our study and explanation of the Center's correct position. Contact either myself or Robert Dewey of my staff if you require further explanation of our continuing commitment to having seat belts required in school buses throughout the nation. We regret that you did not contact the Center during the preparation of the article so the errors cited above would have been avoided" (From a 28 November 1984 letter to School Bus Fleet, from Clarence M. Ditlow III, Executive Director, Center for Auto Safety).
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National School Safety Center (NSSC) Endorsement
p. 38: "May I respectfully suggest a related, but very important additional advantage, that is, helping control disruptive behavior by students roaming the bus and causing discipline problems. Many school bus drivers are faced with serious discipline incidents. It is apparent that controlling student movement by seat belts would surely allow drivers to concentrate on their primary task of driving the bus safely" (From an 18 February 1985 letter to Rep. Kostmayer, from George Nicholson, Director and Chief Counsel, National School Safety Center).
New Jersey Board of Education Endorsement
p. 100: "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
"My name is Robert Brown, Transportation Coordinator for the West Orange Board of Education. I have had the experience of using school buses with seat belts, 28 [inch] high seat backs and roof hatches on all new school buses purchased in New Jersey.
"I have heard all of the arguments offered in opposition to these important safety features and from experience on the road with children in normal use we have experienced none of these imagined difficulties:
1. Seat belts are not being used as weapons. Fingers are not being caught as the buckles are push-button release type.
2. The children have learned to use them rapidly and free themselves with a flick of the wrist.
3. Discipline has simultaneously improved.
4. Insurance costs have not gone up.
5. In regard to the 28 [inch] high seat back, our drivers report no vision problem.
"We are very pleased with seat belts, 28 [inch] high seat backs and roof hatches, more important is the knowledge that we are offering our children a far safer ride back and forth to school."
[Return to Home Page ] [Title Page ] [Preface to 1996 Edition ] [About the Author ] [Foreword to 1990 Edition ] [Table of Contents ] [Main Body ] [Appendix A. Compartmentalization ] [Appendix B. TRB Special Report 222, May 1989 ] [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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