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RESPONSES TO NTSB REPORT OF SEPTEMBER 21, 1999The N.T.S.B Conclusions and recommendations continue to leave our children unprotected and at risk every time they ride the large yellow school bus! They admitted that they aggressively looked for seatbelt induced injury in crashes evaluated. The conclusions clearly point out that they could not find one case of significant injury from seatbelts. Never the less, they remain opposed to this basic safety device. They confirmed that compartmentalization is "Incomplete" and does not afford passenger protection in most crashes. Their computer simulations lacked scientific methodology and proper controls. They used one type of testing dummy for belted passengers and totally different dummy for unrestrained passengers. The different characteristics of different test dummies make their conclusions invalid and suspect. The recommendations to NHTSA will take a minimum of 10 years to implement on the current school bus fleet. This delay is unacceptable. There are restraint technologies and improvements that are immediately available. Lap belts and 3-point harness systems can be purchased for all makes and types of school buses.
Friday, September 24, 1999 As so often is the case with computer models, the conclusions are unsupported by real world findings. In 1989 the NTSB itself reported on 24 moderate to severe school bus crashes. These were small school buses, equipped with seat belts and THE VERY SAME SEATS as on the large buses. Because of the smaller vehicle weight, crash forces on passengers were greater than for large school buses in similar accidents. Of 167 passengers 110 were lap belted. In all of these crashes no such injury caused by interaction of lap belted passengers and seat backs as predicted in the computer models occurred. Further, in reports of accidents available to the Coalition, to this date, we are aware of no such head injuries to belted passengers.
September 25, 1999 I am very concerned with the crash simulation of the Monticello bus/truck crash. According to the simulation, Kristine Burzinski never left the compartment of her seat or "spun" around in her seat. (NTSB had speculated that she was not properly seated at the time of the collision or the forces had caused her to spin around). She was seated on the left side of the school bus in the back of the bus, with another child. Kristines fatal injuries were sustained on the right side of her skull. How did she sustain injuries to the right side of her body if, according to the simulation, she never left the compartment and did not spin around? The child she was seated with - BriAnn Beggin stated that Kristine was lying atop of her when she regained consciousness. The simulation does not provide this data. The NTSB has not, as of this date, interviewed BriAnn.
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