In recent years the Irish Government has taken a number of actions to enhance the safety of children travelling on buses.
An initial step in this process was the requirement, in January 2007, for all buses involved in the Department of Education and Science’s School Transport Scheme to be fitted with safety belts to a minimum standard.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is now proposing that all other buses involved in the organised transport of children be required to have safety belts from October 2011. Research shows that safety belts provide vehicle occupants with a very high level of protection in the event of a collision. This proposal, if implemented, would ensure a minimum level of safety and a common standard for the organised transport of all children.
The RSA is also proposing that a verification exercise be carried out on the standard of installation of safety belts during each vehicles annual roadworthiness inspection. It is proposed that the verification exercise would commence on 29th October 2010.
The purpose of the verification exercise is to provide more certainty on the standard of fitment of safety belts and to assist bus owners and drivers in fulfilling their legal obligations.
The RSA proposals are set out in its Consultation document entitled “Safety belts on buses – Proposals to verify the standard of fitment and to introduce new requirements in relation to the organised transport of children” which may be viewed or downloaded below:
