Safety in school buses

While the regulations for securing children in private cars have been tightened, public school transport still permits children to travel standing and to occupy seats without seat-belts. At least 130,000 Norwegian children travel in school buses every day, and 12,000 of them have to stand. About a year ago, in a SINTEF study of around 7000 injuries in school buses every year, it was found that 85 per cent could have been avoided if all pupils had been seated.

The SINTEF report estimated that providing all school children with seats with seat-belts would cost about NOK 82 – 121 million. Many parents regard school buses as unsafe. However, they have not got anywhere with their demands for better safety measures when they take up the subject with the authorities. County councils point out that current school transport is legal and they cannot afford to do any better.