The New York State Legislature is pushing to require seatbelts to be worn for 8- to 16-year-olds riding charter buses. The main point of this bill, recently proposed by New York State Assemblyman William B. Magnarelli, is to require passengers aged 8 to 16 to wear seat belts on charter buses manufactured after 2016.
Police can fine the parent or guardian of a passenger $50 if the passenger refuses to wear a seat belt. This bill comes after an accident occurred in September last year when a large charter bus carrying students from Farmingdale High School in Long Island overturned on a highway in upstate New York, killing two people and injuring 45 people,
It was prepared as a response to this. Assemblyman Magnarelli emphasized that “seat belts are the minimum means of defense that can protect the lives of passengers in the event of a vehicle collision,” and added, “In addition to mandating the wearing of seat belts on charter buses, the buses are equipped with various cutting-edge technologies that can prevent accidents.” He said, “Mandatory measures must be taken as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), it is known that about 20 people die in charter bus traffic accidents across the country every year.