How safe are school buses compared to all other motor vehicles? School buses are one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States. More than 42,000 people are killed in traffic crashes on U.S. roads every year. Every year, approximately 450,000 public school buses travel about 4.3 billion miles to transport 23.5 million children to and from school and school-related activities. Yet, on average, every year, six school age children (throughout the U.S.) die in school bus crashes as passengers. NHTSA strives to ensure that there are no fatalities in school buses.
The only valid comparison is to compare school buses injuries and deaths as compared to those occurring with a child in the car, in a properly secured seat beat, with the parent driving the car, and on their way to and from the school.
These studies have never been done.
And...Of the 17,000 emergency room visits due to school bus injuries, how many would have been prevented if there were seat belts and proper adult supervision ( other than the driver)? Unknown, also, are the visits made to private dentists and physicians because the child was injured on his bus.
There is the school bus design. Escape hatches on the roof of buses would aid in rescue and would not be an outrageous expense to include in the construction of future buses.
Finally, one of the saddest injuries and deaths is the child who is dragged by their school bus due to their clothing being caught in stair railing or in the door. That type of injury and death could be completely avoided with proper adult supervision ( other than the driver.)