SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF SEAT BELTS ON TRANSIT BUSES

The findings of a literature search on seat belt installation for passengers on buses are summarized. The emphasis was on transit buses, but school buses were included. The literature search focused on three major areas: legislation, the effectiveness of seat belts, and any related aspects. The legislation portion dealt with the appropriate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards as well as any state or federal laws that pertain to seat belts or passenger restraints on buses. The portion on the effectiveness of seat belts dealt with crash-testing studies and examined the epidemiological implications, accident analysis, likely seat belt usage, and the seating system as an integrated whole. The related aspects covered seat belt design options, seat design, seat design loads, other current seating options, seat anchorage design, bus floor structure, and bus-to-chassis connections. In addition, a survey was made of transit agencies in the United States and Canada to determine the current state of seat belt use. None of the agencies responding to the survey currently require seat belt installation. Overall, the findings tend to be inconclusive; many research papers express conclusions both for and against seat belt installation on buses. However, researchers generally agree that it is not just a matter of installing seat belts on an existing bus design. The entire seating system must be tested as an integrated whole before a conclusive statement on the effectiveness of seat belts on transit buses can be made.