Hold The Bus
New U.S. crash stats here reignite a great debate in American education circles: Just how safe are school buses? A recent study by the Columbus, Ohio-based Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) is the first to use a national sample to describe nonfatal school-bus-related injuries to children and teenagers treated in emergency rooms across the country. Advocates for school-bus seat belts say these findings are proof that more needs to be done to protect kids. Others say the data reinforce just how safe the big yellow icons are. You be the judge.
- 23.5 Million Number of children who travel on school buses
- 51,000 School-bus related injuries that resulted in tratment in a U.S. emergency room from 2001 to 2003. That's about 17,000 injuries annually.
- 42 Percentage of injuries that occurred as a result of a motor vehicle accident
- 24 Percentage of injuries that occurred when children were boarding or approaching the bus
- 10- to 14-Year-Olds Age group that suffers the most injuries
Source: The full report can be found at pediatrics.aappublications.org
