Katie Couric's Notebook: School Bus Safety

By: Katie Couric
Topics: Katie's Notebook

Video:
Notebook: School Bus Belts

Hi, everyone.

Most of us don't worry about our kids when they're on a school bus.

But after the recent tragedy in Alabama, in which four teenagers died, maybe we should.

Some 17-thousand kids end up in the emergency room every year because of school bus accidents -- most from getting on or off the bus.

But a lot of SERIOUS injuries could be prevented by something that's standard in every American car -- seat belts. Buses, in most states, aren't required to have them.

A group of students at the University of Massachusetts, motivated by the death of a student in a school bus accident, decided to do something to make buses safer. As a class project, they created a portable safety belt -- one any kid can carry and strap onto any seat.

It works so well, the students are now applying for a patent.

Necessity is the mother of invention. And this could soon be one invention every mother can be grateful for.

That's a page from my notebook.

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by frb01 December 5, 2006 11:53 PM EST: Katie,

Unless it has changed in the past couple years, a school bus was designed to work well and safely without seat belts in use. As a matter of fact there was a kindergarden student paralyzed as result of an accident with seat belts several years ago.; Reply to this comment