State rep calls for seat belts on school buses

May 29, 2018 2:54 pm

By: Ryan King

Twitter: @ABC6

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Fatalities from school bus crashes are rare in R.I., but state Rep. Robert Nardolillo, who is currently running in the Republican primary for the Senate, released a statement earlier today in support of passing legislation in R.I. to require seat belts on school buses.

Over the past decade, there have only been two known individuals who died from a school bus-related accident. Both of the individuals were pedestrians. Nationwide, school bus accidents accounts for an average of 0.4% of motor vehicle traffic crashes according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Recently, however, the National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) released a set of recommendations urging states across the country to require lap and shoulder seat belts on all new school buses. This came after the NTSB conducted an investigation of two fatal bus accidents in Maryland and Tennessee that occurred in 2016.

“I hope that Rhode Island takes the NTSB recommendation seriously and works to adopt laws that protect students in the event of an accident,” he said in a statement.

Nardolillo recently proposed legislation that would require all school buses purchased in R.I. to have three point seat belts by 2020.

“My legislation would accomplish exactly what the NTSB recommends and make Rhode Island school buses among the safest in the nation,” he said. “I urge my fellow legislators to support this common sense measure that will keep children safe and help prevent future tragedies.”