NATIONAL COALITION OF SCHOOL BUS SAFETY NEWS 2007

A SCHOOL bus company is driving the Courier's seatbelt campaign onwards.
July 19, 2007

All of Metro's yellow My Buses are fitted with seatbelts and the company would like to see all bus passengers in Calderdale strapping themselves in.

Ciara McGuigan, education transport officer for My Bus, said: "Luckily we have not had any accidents, but if we had, the seatbelts would probably have saved lives."

Thirty-five My Buses cover the Calderdale area, serving 10 secondary schools, eight primary schools and one school for people with special needs.

But she said she would like to see seat belts rolled out across all buses, in particular those which cover the school run.

"Primary school bus drivers will not set off until all the children are belted up."

And older pupils are reminded to belt up.

"If children get used to wearing a selt belt at a young age then it becomes the norm for them," she said.

The Courier has revealed how hundreds of motorists in Calderdale are risking death by flouting the law on seatbelts – and we have launched our Belt Up campaign to spearhead a massive drive to save lives.

As part of the campaign the firm are considering playing the campaign song, the Fray's How To Save A Life, on the buses and having police officers travelling on some routes.

The My Bus team carry out regular road safety workshops in schools, and when the scheme is first introduced at a school staff visit the school to show pupils how to board and alight the bus, and stay safe on the journey.

The buses are driven by the same driver every day which means the children get to know him or her.

They also have a register of all the children who should be getting on their bus and where,and if a pupil does not board the bus driver checks up on them with the firm's Hotline.

It aims to reduce congestion and accidents around schools.

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