Patch Poll: Schools Board Considers Nixing Seat Belt Installation

The Loudoun County School Board is currently debating on the possible removal of seat belts on its regular education school buses, according to an article on Leesburg Today.

The Health, Safety and Wellness Committee recently recommended that the school board no longer install seat belts, which, if approved, could save as much as $500,000.

Committee Chair Debbie Rose (Algonkian) and members Thomas Reed (At Large) and Brenda Sheridan (Sterling) unanimously voted in favor of the recommendation on Monday.

Currently, it costs about $9,000 to install the seat belts on each bus, which adds up to almost $2 million that has been spent on the policy since it was implemented in January 2008.

Reed said the committee’s decision was not about saving money but because most students aren’t wearing the belts anyway.

“If they were wearing them and it cost us $50,000 a bus, I’d say 'OK,' but they’re not wearing them and it is difficult if not impossible to enforce,” Reed said.  

About 235 of LCPS’ 834 buses currently have seat belts. Under the committee’s recommendation, seat belts would continue to be installed in small buses and activity buses.

The School Board is expected to take up the issue at its March 27 meeting.

To read the full article visit Leesburg Today.