FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson, (573) 751-0290
Blunt Supports Seatbelts, Other Safety Measures in Missouri School Buses
JEFFERSON CITY—Gov. Matt Blunt today exceeded the recommendations of his School Bus Safety Task Force and announced that he will work to enact a requirement that lap-shoulder seatbelts be in all newly purchased Missouri school buses. Blunt visited schools and bus contractors in St. Louis, Kansas City and Jefferson City to share his recommendations along with the findings of the School Bus Safety Task Force.
"Adding seatbelts are a needed step to protect over 500,000 children who depend on Missouri school bus transportation everyday," Blunt said. "I will work with legislators in the upcoming session to draft and pass a statewide school bus seatbelt requirement. We will also work to develop a funding mechanism so that schools are not forced to bear any additional cost. The added cost to our state is worth it to protect the lives of Missouri children."
While the Task Force in their recommendations, encouraged school districts to consider replacing their fleet with school buses that have factory-installed combination lap-shoulder seatbelts, Gov. Blunt went a step further by requiring that lap-shoulder seatbelts, commonly referred to as three-point harness systems, be added to newly purchased buses.
Blunt plans on ensuring the legislature works with local school districts next legislative session to provide adequate funding to fulfill the bus safety recommendations announced today.
"The findings of the Bus Safety Task Force have provided great direction for me and our state legislature," Blunt said. "With the excellent work of the Task Force we will be able to move forward in making Missouri safer for our schoolchildren."
Blunt also announced other findings of the School Bus Safety Task Force that he supports:
- Update school bus driver trainer curriculum and develop a series of driver trainer modules to be presented to drivers throughout the year.
- Verify to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that schools have trained students and teachers each semester on proper bus loading and unloading and evacuation procedure.
- Expand public information campaigns to educate motorists about bus safety issues.
- Allow for statutory immunity to school districts, school bus operators, bus contractors and their employees or agents from claims arising from child use, misuse or refusal to wear a seatbelt on a bus fitted with the restraining equipment.
- Re-establish a fulltime Director of Pupil Transportation along with support staff to guide, monitor and supervise pupil transportation in the state.
- Explore opportunities for school districts to utilize bus monitors who observe student behavior on buses, enabling drivers to focus on driving.
- Ensure that school districts are conducting uniform and mandatory school bus pre-trip inspections in accordance with state requirements.
- Expand the use of safety and security equipment in buses such as GPS systems, two-way radios, cameras, inside/outside PA systems and heated mirrors.
- Include bus safety traffic laws in high school driver education curriculum.
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