Should school buses be equipped with seatbelts? It's been the subject of heated debate for years -- and now the federal government hopes to resolve the issue once and for all.
“We have from a federal point of view recognized that seat belts will add to safety,” said Transport Minister Marc Garneau in a news conference in Montreal on Monday.
A working group and a pilot project will help answer some critical questions, he said.
“There are implications for how you ensure that they are properly attached, that they're properly worn, what happens if there is an emergency and everybody has to get out of the bus very quickly,” he explained.
The Bus Carriers Federation says it's not against installing seatbelts but needs to know more.
“Who needs to make sure that the child is secure and that the belts are properly adjusted?” said Luc Lafrance, president of the organization.
The English Montreal School Board is in favour.
“As a school board, we certainly would applaud such an initiative. It's been talked about for so many years,” said EMSB spokesperson Mike Cohen.
The school board doesn't think installing seatbelts would mean a significant change.
“If a child gets into the back seat of a car, they buckle up. So it's not like people are not familiar with the need to wear a seatbelt. They are. So I don't think it would be a very big adjustment on anyone’s part,” said Cohen.
Garneau says school buses have electronic stability control and crush-resistant roofs.
The federal government does have the power to implement the changes on new buses, but for older ones, it needs provincial approval.
“We think it's better for us to work together. There are a lot of existing school buses that are in the system,” said Garneau.
