School Bus Seatbelt Informaton

Kansas currently does not  require seatbelts in school buses. New School Buses manufactured with a GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of under 10,000 pounds are required to be manufactured with seatbelts.

If a school district elects to equip a new school bus with seat belts the seat belts must be lap/shoulder belts. Lap belts shall not be installed on school buses except in conjuction with a child safety retraint system.

If a school bus is equipped with lap/shoulder belts, Kansas does not require them to be worn. This would need to be addressed in individual school district policy. 

 

PBS News Hour
May 17, 2017 - Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week reports that a record number of states are considering legislation to require seat belts and other safety upgrades, but for many school districts it may not necessarily pay to have students buckle up.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/seat-belts-school-buses-required/#disqus_thread

National Traffic Safety Board Video
November 27, 2016 - In this video, NTSB Dr. Kris Poland, a Biomechanics Engineer, highlights recent investigations, compartmentalization, and the enhanced safety benefit of lap/shoulder belts on school buses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksw67zFnuAE

Public Service Announcements

Sixteen million shcool bus stop-arm violations occur nationwide each school year putting children in danger.  Doug S. Messer, former Manhattan-Ogden School Transportation Director, helped produce two Public Service Announcements regarding Illegal Passing of Stopped School Buses which are linked below.  If you would like to utilize these on your local television network please contact:

Andrea Adams
Transportation Director
Manhattan-Ogden USD 383
1120 Hayes Drive
Manhattan, KS 66502

USD 383 Female Student PSA

USD 383 Male Student PSA


This video from the National Safety Coalition, a non-profit, grassroots traffic safety organization encouraging safe and responsible driving, emphasizes the importance of obeying the law when a school bus stop sign is extended and to educate drivers to ensure the safety of the 26 million children who ride buses to school every day.

All It Takes is One

Stop Arm Posters

 

Stop Arm Poster 11 x 17 (PDF) Poster with graphics indicating when vehicles are required to stop under  Kansas law for a school bus displaying an activated stop arm and flashing red lights.

 

 

 

Stop Arm Law Pamphlets

Kansas School Bus Stop Arm Law Pamphlets (PDF)

4 page pamphlet
4 page pamphlet (printer version two)
4.25 x 11 inch pamphlet

These pamphlets contain basic information pertaining to Kansas School Bus Stop Arm  Law. The information in these 3 pamphlets is identical, however one is designed as a 4 page pamplet to be printed on an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper front and back with 2 variations depending on your printer. The second is also designed to be printed on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper (preferably card stock) front and back and then cut length wise in half for a finished card which is  4.25 x 11 inches.

 

PowerPoint / Pamphlet / Color & Activity Book

School Bus Safety PowerPoint Presentation for Kids

Power Point Presentation

Safety pamphlet which contains facts, rules and a message to motorists.

Tri-fold School Bus Safety Pamphlet (PDF)

KSDE Color and Activity Book containing school bus safety information for kids. 

Color & Activity Book (PDF)

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Safety Poster (PDF)

School Bus Safety Director
Keith Dreiling
785-296-4567
785-296-6659 (fax)
kdreiling@ksde.org

School Bus Safety
Public Service Administrator
 
Dennis Tate
785-296-4545
dtate@ksde.org

School Bus Safety
Public Service Administrator 

Melissa Ostermeyer
785-296-5659
mostermeyer@ksde.org
 

 

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