Transport Canada looks to set up guidelines for seat belts on school buses
OTTAWA — The federal government is proposing regulations for Canadian school bus operators who want to put seat belts on their vehicles.
In an online notice, Transport Canada says the proposal would improve safety for children caught up in severe crashes, especially rollovers.
As it is, the key requirements on buses are to have high-back padded seats closely spaced together, known as compartmentalization, to protect riders without the need for seat belts.
The agency says Canada has no requirements for seat belts on any size of school bus, meaning there is no way to ensure that seat belts put on some buses are installed safely and correctly.