SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is teaming with longtime advocate of school bus seat belts, Deputy Majority Leader Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), as well as Transportation Committee Chairman Sen. Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero) by introducing legislation requiring 3-point seat belts on school buses.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) supports 3-point seat belts in school buses.
“Nothing is more important than the lives and safety of our children,” said White. “I served with Rep. Lang in the House and appreciate his commitment to this issue over the years. With improvements in the technology of seat belts, along with NHTSA’s recommendation, now is the time to pass legislation pushing for a significant change in protecting our children on school buses.”
While the safety of students is a number one priority for both Rochelle Township High School and Rochelle Elementary School District, the effect of requiring seatbelts on school buses would cause a financial burden.
According to bus garage director Sherri Smith, currently only the mini buses are equipped with seatbelts and occasionally a bus may have one or two seat belts to accommodate a student.
If the legislation were passed, Rochelle would be able to add seat belts to all buses in the current fleet.
“There would be a lot of issues if legislation requires seat belts on school buses. Only two kids would be able to sit on a seat and currently we can hold three kids per seat,” Smith stated. “We would have to add additional routes and possibly purchase additional buses.”

The question is whether seat belts would be in the best interest of students.
“If statistics indicate from a safety standpoint it is in the best interest of children then we are going to have to pay the cost and make it happen. It will be a large financial burden to add seat belts but will be worth the cost if we are putting kids in a safer environment,” Jamie Craven, RTHS superintendent, said.
Craven explained he could not project the financial impact the two districts would have if legislation were passed to equip school buses with seat belts. The state is currently behind in transportation payments and many districts statewide are struggling to cover costs.
“I hope if the legislation goes through we will have a phase in period as it is going to be expensive,” stated Craven.
In late 2015, NHTSA endorsed seat belts on school buses due in large part to improved technology with 3-point safety belts. Up until NHTSA’s endorsement, federal and state safety organizations have largely remained neutral on the issue, with expressed concerns on whether 2-point lap seat belts improved the overall safety of a child riding a school bus. However, 3-point safety belts better protect children due to their ability to diffuse the forceful and sudden movement the body sustains during a crash over the chest, waist and shoulder areas.
“While school buses are a safe form of transportation, there is no amount of safety which could ever be enough to protect our children,” Lang said. “It is time to provide that safety by making sure that kids have seatbelts on their way to and from school just as if a parent was driving them.”
“If it will make students safer than we will support this as a mandate,” stated Todd Prusator, Rochelle Elementary School district superintendent.
Craven agrees with Prusator as making students safety a number one priority however questions remain for both superintendents.
“I would like to see safety statistics before I can say I support this legislation,” explained Craven.
Smith explained if legislation is passed the district would have to install seatbelts to all buses and train drivers on how to remove the seatbelts in case of an emergency.
Six states — California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Louisiana and Texas — have passed laws requiring seat belts in school buses.
Illinois is a national leader in school bus safety. In order to drive a school bus in Illinois, a person must obtain a special school bus permit, which is more involved than obtaining a typical CDL. To obtain the school bus permit, an applicant must possess a valid driver’s license that has not been revoked or suspended for at least three years prior to application. In addition, they must pass written and road school bus driver permit exams and must submit to and pass an Illinois-specific FBI criminal background check. The school bus permit must be renewed each year and requires an annual refresher classroom training course. The applicant must pass an annual physical examination, which includes drug testing.
“My mission is to make Illinois roads the safest ever,” said White. “This new legislation will help us accomplish this goal.”