TESTIMONIES

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Testimony Before the Assembly Committee on Transportation
On AB 2030, School buses, Seat belts

 Introduction

My name is Phyllis Agran. I am here to testify in support of AB 2030. I am a Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Pediatric Injury Prevention Research Group at UC Irvine. Over the last two decades our research findings have been instrumental in shaping public policy measures designed to protect children.

I am also a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Injury and Poison Prevention, and immediate past president of the Association for the advancement of Automotive Medicine. Finally, I am speaking to you today on behalf of the California District of the American Academy of Pediatrics, representing 5,000 pediatricians, our patients, and our families.

I recall first testifying before this Committee in the 1980's, when I presented data in support of what became the historic and lifesaving California Child Passenger Safety Law.

Mandating seat belts on school buses is the next step forward in reducing the risk of injury among the nation's 24 million children who every day ride in school buses. School bus transport is relatively safe, but the children of California need and deserve the added protection afforded by seat belts. AB 2030 would begin to phase in this protection by requiring seat belts on all new school buses.

(Video: CNN news segment showing injury risks to unrestrained children)

The Toll in Deaths and Injuries

Since the airing of the CNN report, there have been disagreements regarding the precise statistics on deaths and injuries among school children. But this much is clear: According the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Safety Council, throughout the United States there are typically 10 school children killed and more than 9,500 injured each year in school bus incidents. For children in California, this translates, on average, to 1 or 2 deaths per year and more than 1,000 school children injured. These injuries range from lacerations and bruises to broken bones and spinal cord damage resulting in permanent paralysis.¹ ²

Let's be honest: In violent school bus crashes, some of these fatalities and injuries will occur regardless of restraint use. However, the estimate derived from a variety of studies indicates that if just one-half of all school children on buses were using seat belts, the number of injuries and deaths could be reduced by 20%.³ Logic suggests that with 100% utilization, as many as 40% of all fatalities and injuries could be avoided.

Additional Benefits from Seat Belts on Buses

In addition to saving lives and avoiding injuries in crashes, the installation and use of seat belts on new buses has other benefits.

First, seat belts reduce injuries in non-crash events. Our research has documented that many children are injured in what we call noncrash events: sudden stops, turns, and swerves. ^{4 5} Belts on buses would prevent most of these injuries.

Second, safety belts will keep children safely positioned. If you work with children as I have every day of my professional life for over 20 years, you know that children do not sit still for very long. They tend to turn around to talk and play with others; if given the chance they move about. Seat belts would clearly improve this situation.

Third, it should be obvious that a child belted in a school bus seat is better behaved and safer than an unrestrained child. Early reports in New York and New Jersey - states which have made belts in school buses mandatory - demonstrate the benefit of improved behavior among restrained children.

Fourth, driver distraction caused by children moving about and playing in the bus is diminished by requiring the use of seat belts.

Think about it. How would you like to be responsible for 40 or more school children traveling unrestrained in your bus?

Fifth, a consistent poligy requiripy restraint use in motor vehicles is of enormous educational value. ⁶ Children and their families need consistent messages. Seat belts on school buses would reinforce the "buckle-up" message for millions of children in California. Personally, I believe that there will be a "trickle-up" effect of mandated belt use on school buses: Children will encourage their parents and other adults to use seat belts in other vehicles. In fact, -children can be excellent teachers. Often they have asked me, "Why is it important for the bus driver to be belted, but not for the children?" That's a good question.⁷

Meeting Opposing Arguments

I would not be doing my job as a pediatrician and public health professional if I didn't take a few minutes to immunize you against some of the disingenuous arguments voiced by those opposing AB 2030.

Opponents have challenged the data and have claimed that injuries are not increasing. Even if this were true - which, incidentally, I believe is not the case - the tragic fact remains that across the country nearly 10,000 school children are injured in school bus incidents every year. California’s proportionate share is more than 1,000.

Opponents will cite old studies on school bus crashes. Some of the studies have since been refuted. ⁸ Other older studies' such as a 1967 UCLA study in which a school bus was intentionally crashed, actually called for both 28-inch high seat backs and lap belts to make school buses safer. ⁹ Unfortunately, opponents of AB 2030 often cite the UCLA study but ignore the lap belt recommendation.

Opponents will tell you that lap belts are dangerous. Seat belts are not the panacea for avoiding injury in all motor vehicle crashes. However, common sense and our own practical experience have taught us that seat belts save lives and reduce injuries. That's why we tell our children to always buckle up. And that's why it's the law just about everywhere - except in school buses.

Opponents of AB 2030 may tell you that compartmentalization which is the configuration of seats and the padding of seat backs in school buses - provides adequate protection. It doesn't. In fact, the benefits of so-called compartmentalization are pretty much limited to frontal crashes. It provides no protection in non-crash events, lateral impact crashes and rollovers. These are conditions under which a lap belt could be expected to mitigate injury.

Now claiming to be concerned with the safety of our children, the opponents of this bill are offering amendments calling for lap/shoulder belts on all buses, not just school buses and not just those newly manufactured. The costs of the proposed amendments would be $1.4 billion. This is a transparent attempt to defeat AB 2030 by doing what no one is asking for and by running up the costs to unacceptable levels. The fact of the matter is that AB 2030, in its current form, would provide a simple, cost-efficient means of phasing in protection for our school children by requiring lap belts on all new school buses. Specifically, AB 2030 is estimated to cost only $1.60 per child per year for the lifetime of the bus. Dr. Alan Ross will provide more information on the limited costs associated with implementing AB 2030.

It is now time for California to join the states of New York and New Jersey in mandating seat belts on all new school buses as an important public health policy priority. That's exactly what AB 2030 would do.

You are here today as our elected representatives and legislators. Before you vote on AB 2030, think of yourself as a parent or grandparent. Then ask yourself this question: "If I had the opportunity to put my child, my grandchild or any other child in a school bus with lap belts or in a school bus without lap belts, which would I choose?"

Thank you.

 ¹ US Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fatal Accident Reporting System and GES. National Safety Council. Accident Facts.