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From: wts@burl.UUCP (wts)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: Seatbelt paradox
Message-ID: <912@burl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 30-Oct-85 15:10:47 EST
Article-I.D.: burl.912
Posted: Wed Oct 30 15:10:47 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Nov-85 15:00:39 EST
References: <303@ukecc.UUCP> <1119@hou2h.UUCP>
Reply-To: wts@burl.UUCP (wts)
Organization: AT&T Technologies, Burlington NC
Lines: 41

In article <1119@hou2h.UUCP> mr@hou2h.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) writes:
>> 
>> 	Ever wonder why there are no seatbelts in school busses? If a
>> school bug gets in a wreck, there is the potential for alot of injuries.
>
>They used to. Some do still have them today. In fact in some states
>with a seatbelt law It wouldnt make sense not to have seatbelts.

	According to a representative of Thomas Built Buses, Inc. of High
	Point, NC, that was interviewed on a local news program, seat 
	belts on school buses may cause more injuries than they prevent.
	According to the results of their studies, a child's 
	body will bend at the waist and go face first into the seat
	in front when restrained at the waist by a simple lap
	belt.  When unrestrained, the child's body will tend
	to come up out of the seat, and impact the seat in front
	with his chest/abdomen, thereby spreading the impact force
	over a larger, more resilient area.

	According to Thomas, a more cost effective means of insuring
	passenger safety would be a seatback that had extra padding
	so when hit, the result would be a soft landing. Thomas
	is currently working on this now, according to the news report.

	This all seems to make sense. If your reference point is an
	automobile, the "second" impact for a front seat passenger,
	unbelted, is typically the windshield, headfirst. With a
	lapbelt, second impact is the dashboard, teethfirst(8-}).
	Shoulder harnesses were then required for front seat 
	occupants. Rear seat occupants went face first into
	the padded rear of the front seat when belted. With a
	schoolbus, there is less likelihood of serious "second"
	impact when unbelted. Also, in North Carolina, school
	buses are governed to 35 MPH max., and Activity buses
	are governed to 45 MPH max. Slower speeds are the best
	prevention of serious bodily injury.

					William T. Sykes
					AT&T Technologies, Inc
					Burlington, NC
					burl!wts