School Transportation Safety: An Observational Study of Drivers and Pupils on the School Bus
The safety of children traveling to and from school is a global issue. The school bus is a common means for children to travel to and from school, both locally and globally. In Israel, 90% of the pupils living in rural communities travel daily by school transportation. School bus safety is dynamic, in that regulations are often changing. As of September 1, 2006, in all vehicles used for school transportation in Israel, not only is the number of pupils limited, but also seatbelts are mandatory. This policy was the response to a single mass casualty event, in which three pupils were killed and 40 were injured after a school bus and jeep collided on the way home from school on the last day of the 2004 school year. The objective of the study was to observe seatbelt usage, pupil and bus driver behavior and potential safety hazards on buses used for school transportation.
