NTSB Urges Texas to Enforce Seat Belt Laws After Bus Crash

UPDATE: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is urgently calling for stronger seat belt enforcement policies for school buses across Texas. This recommendation follows a serious crash involving a Leander ISD bus on August 13, 2023, which left 16 children hospitalized.

The NTSB’s recommendations were directed at the state of Texas, national school transportation associations, and Leander ISD, highlighting the critical need for enforceable seat belt policies on school buses. The recommendations stem from an ongoing investigation into the crash that occurred on Nameless Road near Sandy Creek.

According to investigators, the bus had just departed from Bagdad Elementary School when the accident transpired. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported that wet road conditions contributed to the incident.

The bus was equipped with both passenger lap and shoulder belts, as well as five-point child-restraint harnesses; however, video evidence revealed that only six out of the 46 students aboard were wearing seat belts during the crash. Alarmingly, only four of these were using the lap portion correctly.

Surveillance footage from the bus showed it swerving across the double yellow line multiple times before leaving the road and rolling over. In the aftermath, both the bus driver and several students required hospitalization for injuries sustained in the crash.

“Leander ISD did not take sufficient action to ensure passengers were properly belted,” the NTSB stated in its findings.

The NTSB has strongly recommended that Leander ISD implement strict policies to require all students and drivers to use seat belts and ensure compliance. Furthermore, the NTSB urged Texas state authorities to enhance existing seat belt laws, advocating for measures like audits, mandatory driver training, and strict enforcement to ensure safety compliance.

While Texas law mandates seat belt use on school buses, the NTSB’s recommendations aim to ensure that these laws are effectively followed. The recipients of this urgent call to action have 30 days to respond with their plans for compliance.

Following the crash, the Leander ISD bus driver was cited for failing to drive in a single lane and for a safety belt violation. No criminal charges have been filed against the driver, who is no longer employed by the district as of August 27, 2023.

As investigations continue, the implications of this crash resonate deeply within the community and the broader educational transport system. Parents and guardians are urged to stay informed about the developments in seat belt policy enforcement, as the safety of children remains a paramount concern.

Stay tuned for further updates as this situation unfolds and learn what measures will be implemented to protect students on school buses across Texas.