Editor’s note — A previous version of this article insinuated blanket advocacy of three-point, lap-shoulder seatbelt usage. Instead, NAPT said it is aligning itself with NTSB’s recommendation that lap-shoulder seatbelts be required on all new, large school buses, and that decisions to purchase the occupant restraints be made at the local level.

Citing technological advances and repeated recommendations by the National Transportation Safety Board, the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT) said three-point, lap-shoulder seatbelts in all school buses.

The position marks a significant evolution in NAPT’s stance on seatbelts, though it has always called for local control of the issue. The paper encourages members “to recognize and manage issues related to driver liability and adherence to school policies in the implementation of any district program related to the installation and use of lap-shoulder belts.”

Still, the association said further testing on lap-shoulder seatbelt effectiveness by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is long overdue.

NHTSA’s limited testing resulted in the 2011 requirement of lap-shoulder belts on school buses weighing less than 10,000 pounds because those vehicles closely resemble crash forces absorbed by smaller passenger cars and trucks in collisions.

However, in that same rulemaking, NHTSA declined to mandate lap-shoulder belts on larger school buses but did provide specifications to be used by operators opting to install them. In 2015, NHTSA recommended that school bus operators should install and use lap-shoulder belts on large buses because, while school buses are the safest vehicle on the road, the belts would increase safety for student riders.

NAPT has been calling on NHTSA to revisit the issue for years.

“In the absence of a scientifically based mandate from NHTSA, NAPT believes it is important that the decision to install and utilize lap-shoulder belts is made at the local level and that our efforts should support and facilitate those decision-making processes,” the paper states. “NAPT sees our role as encouraging informed conversations at the local school district level and, where appropriate, at the state level, and enabling our members to engage in those discussions with reliable and timely information.”

NAPT said its decision to issue this position paper stems from ongoing debates and evolving circumstances surrounding school bus safety. NAPT pointed to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations that have highlighted instances where the absence of seatbelts contributed to injuries and fatalities. These findings, NAPT said, coupled with advancements in safety technology, prompted a reassessment of its previous stance and the need to provide updated guidance to its members.

“Accordingly, at this time, the board of directors has determined that NAPT should adapt our posture and statements on the issue of lap-shoulder belts on school buses to recognize the value and importance of NTSB’s recommendations, and the evolution of school bus safety technology,” the paper notes.

NAPT said it also firmly opposes the installation and use of two-point lap belts. It also continues to recommend that decisions regarding the installation and use of lap-shoulder belts should be made at the local level, supported by informed discussions and reliable information.

NAPT Executive Director and CEO Molly McGee Hewitt told School BusRIDE the new position was shared with the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services, the National School Transportation Association, and state association affiliates.

“We have also shared them via email with the relevant federal agencies and will meet with them over the spring months as they transition to new leadership,” she added. “We will also bring the statement to other national education associations like the superintendents, school business officials, and the PTA. This kind of sharing will give our members a basis for support back in their districts.”

NAPT said it will provide future informational sessions in the form of webinars, conference sessions and podcasts to assist and support members in the making decisions on whether or not to specify lap/shoulder seatbelts on school buses.

An NAPT spokesman said the position paper was completed and approved in the fall. It was publicly announced in a School BusRide article on Tuesday.

Related: School Bus Safety Act Renews Call for Seatbelts, Other Safety Improvements
Related: Oklahoma Latest State to Introduce School Bus Seatbelt Bill
Related: Blue Bird Announces Standard Lap/Shoulder Seatbelts on All School Buses
Related: N.Y. Legislature Passes Bill Requiring Students to Wear Seatbelts on Chartered Trips

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Is the sixth time a charm for the School Bus Safety Act?

Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois hope so, but the bill faces the added hurdle of passing both chambers that are controlled by Republicans. The two announced Wednesday the latest iteration: The School Bus Safety Act of 2025.

No bill numbers were available at this report.

The legislation, which most recently was introduced last fall but died, seeks the required installation of three-point seatbelts in all school buses, plus stability control and automatic braking systems, both of which are already being standard equipment on most large school buses.

The bill would also require event data recorders that capture pre- and post-crash data, driver inputs and restraint usage when a collision does occur. The act calls for a fire suppression system, which addresses engine fires and a firewall that prohibits hazardous quantities of gas or flame to pass from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment.

In a statement, Cohen called the safety measures recommended by National Transportation Safety Board “common sense.”

“We’ve seen too many deaths and serious injuries in school bus accidents in Tennessee and elsewhere, and it is past time we act to protect young lives,” he said.
A grant program would provide funding to help school districts meet the mandate.

Related: School Bus Safety Act for Seatbelts Again Introduced in Congress
Related: Blue Bird Announces Standard Lap/Shoulder Seatbelts on All School Buses
Related: NHTSA-Proposed Automatic Emergency Braking Has School Bus Safety Connection

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Oklahoma House Bill 1244 would require school buses to be equipped with seatbelts or harnesses. If passed, it would make Oklahoma the 10th state to require safety restraint systems.

HB1244, introduced by Rep. Judd Strom, would require all new vehicles that transport 10 passengers or more and are purchased or contracted for use by school districts to be equipped with seatbelts or harnesses for every passenger. The bill does not differentiate between three-point lap/shoulder or two-point lap belts.

The bill states that every related vehicle would need the words “SCHOOL BUS” painted on the front and rear of the vehicle. HB1244 would apply to vehicles purchased or contracted for use by the effective date of July 1, 2025, ensuring the vehicles would be certified by the start of next school year.

Currently, nine other states require school bus seatbelts: Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. Louisiana has been unable to fully implement the law to install lap belts due to insufficient funding. Arkansas, while requiring lap/shoulder seatbelts, first requires local voters to approve property tax increases to pay for them.

Meanwhile, Florida’s law requires two-point belts and New York allows school boards to decide if they want to provide lap or lap/shoulder seatbelts and does not mandate students to use them.

All other states require lap/shoulder seatbelts.

Read more about seatbelt usage and laws at the footer of stnonline.com, in the resources section.

“The addition of seatbelts for students riding to school or school events on our school buses would put parents’ minds at ease and provide an important layer of security for Oklahoma students,” Strom said. “By implementing this proposed requirement, we would not only be in the small number of states that are on the forefront of aligning Oklahoma with school bus seatbelt requirements but also give parents greater peace of mind knowing their children are as safe as possible during their daily commute.”

The bill will be eligible for consideration in the upcoming legislative session, beginning on Feb. 3.

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