MENU
SEARCHLawmakers in Illinois, Utah, and Washington are among those considering legislation that would require school buses bought after a certain date to be equipped with seat belts.
Lawmakers in Illinois, Utah, and Washington are among those considering bills that would require school buses bought after a certain date to be equipped with seat belts.
Illinois, Utah, and Washington are among states considering legislation that would require school buses to be equipped with seat belts.
In Illinois, Sen. Ira Silverstein is sponsoring SB75, which, as of July 1, 2017, would require all new school buses to have seat belts for each passenger.
SB75 would also require that the state board of education put rules in place to ensure that school districts require all passengers aboard the buses wear seat belts, but school bus drivers would not be liable for the failure of passengers to wear the belts.
Meanwhile, Utah Rep. Craig Hall has sponsored HB132, which would require any new school buses purchased after June 30, 2017, to be equipped with lap-shoulder seat belts. As with SB75 in Illinois, school bus drivers as well as other school district employees would not be liable for injury that resulted from “a passenger’s use, nonuse, or misuse” of a seat belt. Unlike the Illinois bill, HB132 would not require ensuring use of the belts.
The Utah bill passed through the House Transportation Committee and is headed toward the full House of Representatives, according to Deseret News.
However, some committee members raised concerns about what they called an unfunded mandate. One representative said he would like for school districts to be able to apply for state funding for seat belts, Deseret News reports. Hall said that a resolution from Rep. Steve Handy that requests use of $20 million of the state’s share from the legal settlement with Volkswagen could help with seat belt costs, according to the newspaper.
Additionally, Washington state’s Senate Transportation Committee held a public hearing last week on Senate Bill 5054, which would also require that school buses purchased after the bill goes into effect be equipped with seat belts for all passengers, The Associated Press reports. However, Brian Lang, a former school bus driver, opposed the bill at the hearing, saying that the responsibility to make sure all the passengers use the belts is on the driver, according to the news source. Sen. Michael Baumgartner said that the responsibility should be removed from the drivers.
More than a dozen other states are considering similar measures, according to The Associated Press.
The legislative proposals follow the school bus crash in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in November in which six students were killed.
Driver shortages, safety expectations, and staffing limits define student transportation in 2026. New survey data shows how fleet leaders are responding.
Read More →
The federal agency's report asks NHTSA to require all new school buses to be equipped with vehicle-integrated alcohol detection systems and passenger lap-shoulder belts.
Read More →
Student transportation teams are being asked to do more with less, facing driver shortages, rising costs, and increasing safety expectations. This report uncovers how fleets are adapting, where technology is making the biggest impact, and why student ridership tracking is emerging as a top priority. Download the report to explore the key trends shaping 2026 and what they mean for your operation.
Read More →
A Carroll County accident claimed the lives of two students and injured over a dozen others on a March 27 field trip for eighth graders at Clarksville-Montgomery County. A preliminary report adds new information to the story.
Read More →
From driver shortage solutions in Tennessee and rural connectivity debates in Utah to new safety laws in Wisconsin and ongoing electric bus mandate discussions in New York and Connecticut, here’s the latest in school bus legislation across the U.S.
Read More →
Waymo’s self-driving vehicles are under fire again after repeated school bus passing violations, raising questions about safety, remote operators, and regulation.
Read More →
Distracted driving continues to pose serious risks in school zones, with new data and driver insights highlighting ongoing concerns and potential solutions to improve student and roadway safety.
Read More →
A former airline pilot has stepped into a new role at the independent federal agency, but where does he stand on issues like seat belts on school buses? Here’s what he’s said.
Read More →
Two recent close calls at railroad crossings, a train clipping a bus and a rear-end crash, highlight why vigilance and training still matter. Here’s what happened and what to tell your own drivers.
Read More →
The federal agency's proposed rulemaking would eliminate the requirement for school buses to come to a complete stop at railroad crossings if the warning device is not activated. The goal: to improve traffic flow and save costs. With new data released, public comment is open through April 27, 2026.
Read More →
