Res 0350-2014

By Council Members Crowley, Constantinides, Eugene, Gentile, Koo, Mendez, Richards, Torres, Rodriguez and Rosenthal Whereas, The Department of Education's Office of Pupil Transportation (OPT), provides public schools and non-public schools located within the five boroughs and neighboring counties with student transportation; and Whereas, New York State law requires that large school buses be manufactured with seat belts; and Whereas, According to Chancellor's Regulation A-801, students must keep their seat belts on until the bus comes to a destination stop at the school or home; and Whereas, There are numerous benefits to wearing seat belts, including minimizing the risk of serious injury or death; and Whereas, Seat belts absorb the force of impact and prevent students from being thrown from their seats; and Whereas, According to the New York Board of Cooperative Educational Services, seat belts are more effective in side impact and rollover accidents; and Whereas, According to the National Coalition for School Bus Safety, students who wear seat belts while on a school bus tend to be less distracting to drivers; and Whereas, School districts with strict seat belt policies report significant compliance at all grade levels with the seat belt policies, according to the New York Board of Cooperative Educational Services; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Education to enforce Chancellor's Regulation A-801, which requires that students on school buses wear seat belts until the bus comes to a destination stop. Res. No. 1169-2011 LS 208 JP 1/24/14