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How safe are modern school buses?

According to the New Orleans Police Department, there were 40 accidents involving school buses in 2017.

NEW ORLEANS – There have been 19 school bus accidents in Orleans Parish in 2018, but experts say the bus is still the safest way to get your child to class.

According to the New Orleans Police Department, there were 40 accidents involving school buses in 2017.

On average, four to six students die on school bus crashes nationwide each year. Most buses don’t have seatbelts, but experts say they have other common sense safety features that make up for that including bright color, size and height from the ground.

Corey Young with First Student Bus Services tells Eyewitness News that the most important safety feature on a bus is its driver.

"Our drivers receive 50 hours of pre-service training before they even get on a school bus," Young said. "The training they receive is irreplaceable in making sure your children have a safe school bus ride."

Instead of seatbelts, Young said buses use "compartmentalization" which means seats are high, heavily padded and close together.

"In the instance of an impact, it is kind of designed to act like an egg carton to protect the passengers," Young said.

Young said all of the buses First Student Bus Services operates in Orleans Parish are equipped with GPS tracking. The company also uses a "Child Checkmate" system that requires bus drivers to check for any students that may have stayed on the bus after it has stopped at school.

Here are some things to remember when driving near a school bus:

  • Remember to keep a safe distance behind the bus when driving.
  • When the bus is stopped and the lights are flashing and arms are extended, stop for the bus.
  • Give students plenty of room to get off and around the bus.
  • Never pass a bus from behind.

Meghan Kee can be reached at mkee@wwltv.com

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