Burke Co. to take part in school bus seat belt pilot program

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — As concerns about the safety of children on school buses grows, North Carolina will begin testing a pilot program with seat belts on buses.

Channel 9's partners at the News Herald report that the state will equip seven Burke County school buses with lap and shoulder belts next school year.

Transportation officials said the goal of the voluntary pilot project, which includes 14 other school districts, is to help policy-makers evaluate future, widespread use of seat belts on North Carolina public school buses.

“We jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this new initiative because this is a big deal,” said BCPS Superintendent Larry Putnam. “In keeping student safety at the forefront of all that we do, we want to be on the front end of this new movement as it progresses across the state.”

School buses are safe and durable, but tend to be top heavy and are more apt to roll over, Putnam said.

“In the rare instance that a bus is involved in a roll-over accident, the seat belts will keep students from being tossed around,” he said.

According to The News Herald, the seat belts will add up to $12,000 to the $83,000 price tag of a new bus, but the state is picking up the tab for the equipment upgrade.

Read more here.

Read more top trending stories from wsoctv.com:

• McCrory: Attorney general using flawed argument against HB2
• Relatives mourn 86-year-old woman killed by family pit bulls
• Freight train collides with car near downtown Gastonia
• Cruise line charges widower $853 'rebooking fee' after wife's death
• First-graders accused of plotting to poison, kill classmate with silica gel
• Cankerworms hatch across North Carolina

Cox Media Group