Seat Belt Bills Proposed in Multiple States
Lawmakers 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.

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.
More Safety

From Reactive to Proactive: Making Every Ride Visible
Smart technology only delivers its full value when it works together. See how Catalyst connects proven industry platforms to move student transportation from reactive to proactive.
Read More →
HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud Warns Motorists of Stopped School Buses
Through a transponder or Samsara connection, the product lets school bus fleets send advance warnings to approaching drivers through in-vehicle alerts.
Read More →
HopSkipDrive Reports Progress on Safety Advisory Council
More than a year after forming the council, independent safety experts have helped shape new rider-safety features and policy progress, with a new goal to address rider behavior.
Read More →
What the 2026 National School Bus Safety Month Resolution Means for Student Transportation
The bipartisan resolution highlights illegal school bus passing, student safety during loading and unloading, and the need for driver training and public education.
Read More →
School Bus Stop-Arm Violations Decline 53% Across Verra Mobility Programs
Verra Mobility shares how school bus stop-arm cameras and school zone safety programs are changing driver behavior, reducing violations, and protecting students.
Read More →
Most Bus Crashes Aren’t Your Fault. Here’s How to Prove It.
A guide for what to do in between a school bus crash and a claim: what to preserve, who to notify, and how to keep the facts available when they matter.
Read More →
National School Bus Safety Week 2026: Tips, Toolkits & Resources to Keep Students Safe
School bus safety takes more than awareness. Explore expert tips, enforcement strategies, and free resources to help protect students on every ride.
Read More →
2 Killed, Dozens Injured in Florida School Bus Crash
A multi-vehicle collision caused a Polk County school bus carrying 37 students to overturn on its way to Winter Haven High School.
Read More →
Illegal School Bus Passing Drops 24% in New York Districts
With fewer than 5% of citations involving repeat offenders, Westchester County officials said enforcement, education, and community partnerships are helping change driver behavior.
Read More →
School's Back. Here's What Happened to Traffic, Speeding & Distraction
What happens to traffic when school resumes? New data analysis examines changes in distracted driving, congestion, and speeding around schools.
Read More →

