According to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), beginning in November 2016, newly manufactured buses will be required to be equipped with lap and shoulder belts for each driver and passenger seat.

This is great news for child restraint advocates and parents who strive to keep their children safe while traveling. Of course it’s also good for all the adults who ride on buses.

While buses were designed with the intent to provide safety via “compartmentalization” meaning you sit in a somewhat boxed in, cushioned area, seat belts would make them more safe to ride in. What is especially excited about having seat belts in buses is the ability to use child restraints. Having lap and shoulder belts means the Ride Safer will be a great asset for those who travel with kids 3 and older on motorcoaches and buses.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a final rule requiring lap and shoulder seat belts for each passenger and driver seat on new motorcoaches and other large buses. This new rule enhances the safety of these vehicles by significantly reducing the risk of fatalities and serious injuries in frontal crashes and the risk of occupant ejection in rollovers.

“Safety is our highest priority and we are committed to reducing the number of deaths and injuries on our roadways,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

On average, 21 motorcoach and large bus occupants are killed and 7,934 are injured annually in motor vehicle crashes, according to NHTSA data. Requiring seat belts could reduce fatalities by up to 44 percent and reduce the number of moderate to severe injuries by up to 45 percent.

For more info, go to NHTSA.