How safe are school buses in the Pikes Peak Region?
Many busses in the Pikes Peak Region don’t have seatbelts on their busses.
Following fatal bus crashes in 2016, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended in May that Colorado and 41 other states enact legislation to require seat belts for all large school buses.
Just last month in Weld County a truck hit a school bus, causing it to roll over on its side and injure students. They weren’t required to wear seatbelts.
“These school buses are constructed with safety in mind,” David Hartzell, Director of Transportation for Harrison School District 2.
Almost all of District 2’s bus fleet is focused on compartmentalization for kids while they’re on the bus, but safety starts way before students are even in their seats.
“Training and making sure your drivers are safe first, because a lot of times, accidents are avoidable,” Hartzell said.
School District 49 has made the investment in 34 percent of its buses.
Jack Pietraallo, Director of Transportation for School District 49 said they started installing them three years ago.
“We’re fading them in as our older busses are taken out of service,” Pietraallo said.
It’s a gradual process because the restraints don’t come cheap. It’s at least $15,000 to retrofit and an old bus, and at least $9,000 to add the belts in a new bus.
“It also changes the potential number of students you can transport,” Hartzell said.
As school kicks into high gear, both directors said kids are safe on busses regardless if there’s a seat belt or not.
“Our school buses are safe,” Hartzell said.
“They’re still 50 times safer than your average car or truck,” Pietraallo said.
As for other districts in the Pikes Peak Region, Widefield School District 3 does not have seat belts on regular education buses, but pre-school and special education buses do. A spokesperson for District 11 said its buses have seat belts.
One thing to note, the most danger to kids is when they’re trying to get to and from the bus.
Both directors said many people ignore the red signs, signaling cars to stop so children can safely move to and from the bus.
