I worry about the safety of school buses all the time. Today, depending on what channel you are watching, either two or four Alabama students died when their bus fell off what looks like a viaduct. The drop was reported to be 30 feet.

The school bus had no seat belts or airbags, and as far as I know, that is usually the case. Would such things have saved any lives? Maybe, maybe not.

School buses are built high with a high center of mass, and that rises when you fill them with students. It's easy to see how such a vehicle could topple over the rail on a bridge.

I haven't heard the full story yet, but I feel like the bus will be part of the problem.

A few years ago, people got interested in school bus safety and foam padding was added to grab rails on seat backs and such places. Mirrors and other devices were added to keep students from being run over by their own bus. School buses seem to grow new lights every year, and that is some progress, but they are still not safe vehicles.

The first school buses, back prior to World War II, were a big yellow body built on a long wheel-base, six wheeled truck chassis. In most cases, that's exactly what they are today.

Can't we afford safe transportation for our children?
Howard