1. Turning Tragedy into Triumph How One School District Can Make a Difference Westbrook Bus Crash Families Texas Chapter of National Coalition for School Bus Safety 2007

2. The BISD “Success” Story Our Accident: March 29, 2006 What we learned together - Making Buses Safer For Kids (9 min DVD) Action Taken; Implemented Doing the right thing. Why you can’t afford to ignore it.

3. Cost of Lap-Shoulder Technology Cost Effective in new buses BISD experience - added $10,144 to $89,726.00 bus - cost less than 10% of total bus cost Manufacturer quotes $7,000-$10,000 additional costs depending on type of bus Cost Savings - reduced/eliminated charter cost - reduced insurance premium? Can you afford not to?

4. 2007 Legislative Session Efforts Underway Ashley and Alicia’s Bill TX – HB229 filed by Rep. Alan Ritter (Beaumont) requiring school buses acquired on or after 9/1/07 to be equipped with lap-shoulder belts for all occupants. HB323 filed by Rep. Mike “Tuffy” Hamilton (Orange) TX – SB118 companion bill filed by Sen. Judith Zaffirini Additional Bills filed by other Rep. (Waco)

5. Accidents Happen Statewide Texas for 1998-2001 time period - 7.25 annual fatality school bus accidents - 857 annual non-fatal injury school bus accidents - 16 annual fatal motor coach/transit accidents - 1636.75 annual non-fatal injury motor coach/transit accidents *Texas Dept. Statistics (latest information available)

6. Injuries Happen American Pediatric Society Study - 2001-2003 time period - 51,100 school bus related injuries that resulted in treatment in a U.S. emergency room - 17,0000 injuries annually (almost triple the amount previously reported by government statistics) - 42% of injuries from school bus accidents (leading cause) *School bus - related injuries among children and teenagers in the United States, 2001- 2003: McGeehan et. al., Pediatrics (Nov. 2006)

7. Fatalities 70% of fatalities resulting in motor coach and school bus crashes involved rollovers 16-20 school bus accident related fatalities of each year as reported by NHTSA- Transportation Research Board; but may be even higher upon reviews of individual state statistics

8. Additional Thoughts 4 states require lap belts; California mandated lap/shoulder belts in new buses July 2005 Dangerous trend: Motor coach industry direct targeting school districts ncsbs.org; safebuses4kids.org