People who object to seat belt installation suggest that children are already well protected by the school buses that follow the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) safety requirements set in 1977. They also believe that many children won’t wear seat belts anyway, and that may damage the belts or use them as weapons to hurt other children.

A new Research council report on school bus safety suggest that there are alternate safety devices and procedures that may be more effective and less expensive . For example, the study committee suggested that raising seat backs four inches may have the same safety effectiveness as seat belts.

   The report sponsored by the Department of transportation at the request of Congress, reviews seat belts extensively while taking a broader look at safety in and around school buses.