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Seat Belts Saved Lives in Bus Accident Save Email Print
Posted: 4:53 PM May 29, 2008
Last Updated: 8:52 PM May 29, 2008
Reporter: Alex Denis


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Wednesday morning a school bus carrying third graders from Crestview's Walker Elementary School rolled over twice on I-10.

The bus was headed to Pensacola's Naval Air Station for a field trip. Fortunately there were no life-threatening injuries, but some are saying it might have been a different story if the bus wouldn't have had seat belts.

Many buses don't have seat belts, and to have them installed is a very costly process. There's no doubt that this accident could have had a tragic ending if it weren't for seat belts.

Rodney Nobles, Dep. Superintendent, said, "What happened to our kids here speaks volumes for the need of seat belts on buses, and we feel like it definitely prevented a fatality."

Okaloosa's deputy superintendent of operations says buses made after 2001 come standard with seat belts, but many of the operational buses are older models.

In Okaloosa County there are 220 buses and 50 of those offer seat belts. Walton County has 82 buses 62 have seat belts. Re-fitting the older buses can be very expensive, and money is tight.

"The coast of that is about $12,000 – $13,000 a bus. We would have to replace the frame and the seat and the seat belt."

Even though some of the buses have seat belts, Florida law doesn't require students to wear them, but in Okaloosa County administration does their best to monitor students.

"Our policy, any time we put a bus on the road on the highway, we're going to do out best to make sure that bus is provides with seat belts."

School officials hope students will make wearing a seat belt a common practice that will continue long into the future.

"We want to make that a habit on the buses and also a habit at home, so when they get into their cars at home they buckle up there too."

The accident happened when the bus driver crossed into another lane, hitting an SUV. Fourteen students and two adults were on the bus. There were no life-threatening injuries.

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