“America’s faculty buses lack a lot of the important security tools defending us in our vehicles on daily basis, which is why the Heart for Auto Security commends Consultant Cohen for the reintroduction of the Faculty Bus Security Act. The Faculty Bus Security Act would shield schoolchildren with efficient seat belts and hearth prevention, modernize the college bus fleet with automated emergency braking and digital stability management, and put in place higher information assortment on faculty bus crashes.” — Michael Brooks, Government Director, Heart for Auto Security
October 22, 2024
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, right now reintroduced the Faculty Bus Security Act to implement security suggestions from the Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB), together with set up of seat belts for each seat and security measures equivalent to stability management and automated braking techniques. The measure, being launched throughout Nationwide Faculty Bus Security Week, would additionally create a grant program to assist faculty districts modify their faculty buses to implement the protection specs. Congressman Cohen first launched a model of the invoice in 2018. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio have launched a companion measure within the Senate.
Congressman Cohen made the next assertion:
“There isn’t any extra valuable cargo than school-aged youngsters entrusted by their dad and mom for a experience to highschool. The commonsense measures really useful by the NTSB and known as for on this laws will save younger lives. I’m happy to reintroduce this laws with Senators Duckworth and Brown to make faculty buses throughout the nation safer whereas serving to financially strapped faculty districts modify their faculty bus fleets to fulfill the brand new specs. We’ve seen too many deaths and severe accidents at school bus accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere, and it’s previous time we act to avoid wasting younger lives.”
“Congressman Cohen is a champion for transportation security, and I applaud his sponsorship of the Faculty Bus Security Act,” Nationwide Transportation Security Board Chair Jennifer Homendy mentioned. “Faculty buses are sometimes touted because the most secure automobiles on our roads, and but the NTSB continues to research crashes that end in preventable fatalities and accidents involving youngsters, adults who accompany them, and different highway customers. I’m happy that the laws launched by Rep. Cohen would advance longstanding NTSB security suggestions, equivalent to requiring faculty buses to have three-point security belts and collision-avoidance know-how, amongst different very important security enhancements. Each faculty bus crash serves as a painful reminder of the price of inaction. I thank Rep. Cohen for his management and stay up for working with Congress to make sure U.S. faculty buses are as protected as attainable. The NTSB won’t relaxation till the variety of lives misplaced to highschool bus tragedies is ZERO.”
The Faculty Bus Security Act would require the Division of Transportation situation guidelines requiring all faculty buses embody:
- A three-point security belt, which features a seat belt throughout a lap in addition to a shoulder harness to assist shield passengers by restraining them in case of a collision;
- An Automated Emergency Braking System, which helps forestall accidents and crashes by detecting objects or automobiles forward of the bus and braking mechanically;
- An Occasion Information Recorder (EDR) that may file pre- and post-crash information, driver inputs, and restraint utilization when a collision does happen;
- An Digital Stability Management (ESC) System that may use automated computer-controlled braking of particular person wheels to help the motive force to stay answerable for the car;
- A Hearth Suppression System, which addresses engine fires; and
- A Firewall that prohibits hazardous portions of fuel or flame to from passing from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from 2013 to 2022, there have been 976 deadly school-transportation-related crashes, and 1,082 folks of all ages had been killed in these crashes — a median of 108 fatalities per yr. Congressman Cohen has been a powerful advocate of accelerating faculty bus security, initially introducing this laws in September of 2018.
The Faculty Bus Security Act is supported by the Nationwide Security Council, Advocates for Freeway and Auto Security, the Heart for Auto Security, the Nationwide Sheriffs’ Affiliation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Nationwide Mother or father Instructor Affiliation (PTA) and Shopper Experiences.
Endorsing group statements:
“Each baby deserves to get to and from faculty safely,” mentioned Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the Nationwide Security Council. “This vital laws will guarantee faculty buses are geared up with the newest in life-saving know-how, together with seat belts — a commonsense resolution that retains children protected. We commend Rep. Cohen for his management and stay up for working with him and his Congressional colleagues to advance this measure and shield our nation’s youngest vacationers.”
“Each baby deserves a protected journey to and from faculty, and no household ought to endure the heartbreak of shedding a baby in a preventable crash. Important protections like three-point seat belts and automated emergency braking (AEB) needs to be normal on all faculty buses to assist forestall and cut back the influence of crashes. We’re grateful to Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) for championing the Faculty Bus Security Act within the Home of Representatives to make sure weak baby passengers are safe.” mentioned Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Freeway and Auto Security (Advocates)
“When youngsters are touring on a faculty bus, it’s crucial that there are commonsense safeguards in place to guard and preserve them protected. The American Academy of Pediatrics has lengthy advocated for wanted enhancements to highschool bus security that may save lives and forestall severe accidents, together with seat belts and different security measures. We applaud Consultant Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) for introducing the Faculty Bus Security Act and name for its swift passage. It’s time we enact these lengthy overdue security measures,” mentioned American Academy of Pediatrics President Benjamin Hoffman, MD, FAAP.
“Youngster security is the chief concern for fogeys—in the course of the faculty day and whereas touring to and from faculty,” mentioned Yvonne Johnson, president of Nationwide PTA, the nation’s oldest and largest baby advocacy affiliation. “PTA helps requirements, laws and options to assist preserve youngsters protected whereas they board, exit and experience on faculty buses, and our affiliation applauds Consultant Cohen for introducing the Faculty Bus Security Act.”
“America’s faculty buses lack a lot of the important security tools defending us in our vehicles on daily basis, which is why the Heart for Auto Security commends Consultant Cohen for the reintroduction of the Faculty Bus Security Act. The Faculty Bus Security Act would shield schoolchildren with efficient seat belts and hearth prevention, modernize the college bus fleet with automated emergency braking and digital stability management, and put in place higher information assortment on faculty bus crashes.” — Michael Brooks, Government Director, Heart for Auto Security
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View the release from Congressman Steve Cohen here.
