Students buckling up on bus at 10 state schools
NORTHPORT — First-grader Sommer Davis doesn't even like wearing a seat belt while riding in the family car. So she only had one thought when she found out she'd have to start buckling up on the bus trip to and from school.
Davis was one of hundreds of students across Alabama who boarded school buses with seat belts Monday as the state launched an unprecedented three-year study to determine if the harnesses make the buses safer.
"I don't like seat belts because they hurt my neck," the 7-year-old said while rubbing the area where the dark blue strap crossed her throat. So how'd she react when first told of the new belts?
"I said 'Awwww, man!," she recalled with a sigh and a roll of her big brown eyes.
Alabama is the first state to conduct such a study, which developed from debates following a Huntsville bus wreck that killed four Lee High School students in November 2006.
"We couldn't believe that the federal government, states — someone hadn't done this before," Gov. Bob Riley said while standing next to a bus-filled lot at Northport Elementary School. "I think there are a lot of people all over the United States that will be looking at this study to get an indication of what they want to do."
Six states already have laws requiring some level of belts on school buses, but there are no nationally set guidelines.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters issued a proposal last November that would expand the use of shoulder belts, but stopped short of ordering that all new buses be equipped with seat belts.
"We're not advocating or opposing that," National Highway Traffic Safety Administration spokeswoman Elly Martin said Monday. "We consider that a local issue."
Martin said the department is always on the lookout for helpful data and research gathered by states.
"Of course school bus safety is imperative, and we've made great gains in this country and progress is vitally important," she said. "This is the most precious cargo we carry on our roads."
The study will be conducted by the University of Alabama and cost $1.4 million over three years.
Twelve seat belt-equipped buses were purchased for 10 participating school systems and six bus aides were hired to assist with compliance among students.
Other costs include hiring more drivers and adding more buses to compensate for seating capacity that will be lost due to the addition of belts — buses with belts seat about 54 students while those without seat 72.
Officials hope to learn the extent to which students will use the belts and their behavior on buses equipped with the restraints.
Alabama's bus fleet is one of the newest in the country and consists of 7,408 buses transporting 373,982 students daily.
Riley and Superintendent Joe Morton were briefly a part of that group Monday as they climbed aboard bus No. 165, watched by reporters and television cameras as they buckled up alongside kindergartners and first graders at Northport Elementary.
It was the first day of classes and for some of the kindergartners it was their first day of school ever. That coupled with the guests and media attention gave this day's bus boarding a festive air.
Five-year-old kindergartner CalliAnne Cooke said she was excited about the belts because, "I don't want to get in a wreck and get hurt," she said. "I want to be safe."
Her brother Caden Cooke, 6, said he too was happy about the belts but was energized for a different reason.
"Calli," he said tapping her on the shoulder, "I'm excited because we're going to be on TV."
