When you put your kids in your car, you make sure they put their seatbelt on and that they are sitting on an age-appropriate and weight-appropriate car seat or booster. You may even have signs in your car window alerting other drivers that you have a young person on board. However, when you put your child on the school bus in Pennsylvania, there is no opportunity for your kids to buckle up. This is despite guidance from the National Transportation Safety Board recommending that seat belts should be mandatory on school buses.
School bus injuries can range from light to serious
Injuries incurred by children on school buses with or without seat belts can include:
- Head injuries
- Whiplash
- Fractures
- Impact from broken glass
- Cuts and bruises
Parent power is campaigning for stronger laws
Groups of parents in Pennsylvania are now campaigning for school buses to be fitted with seatbelts, to bring Pennsylvania in line with other states that have mandated seatbelts for many years. The Pennsylvania General Assembly is currently considering a bill requiring that all school buses in the state be equipped with retractable seat belts.
The personal injury attorneys at Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLP have represented many families whose children have been injured in school bus accidents, helping them to recover compensation for their injuries. If your child has been hurt in a bus accident, contact us for a free initial consultation.