Two school buses collided in Maclean yesterday morning, resulting in an 11-year-old child being taken to hospital with suspected neck injuries. Another eight students were treated at the scene.
The Greens transport spokeswoman, Cate Faehrmann, will today give notice of a private members bill in which buses on some rural routes would need to be fitted with seatbelts. The routes would travel on unsealed roads or roads or highways with a speed limit greater than 80km/h.
While it's not clear if the measures proposed would have alleviated yesterday's incident that occurred before school in Maclean, the call is loud and clear: MPs, extract the digit and move to upgrade the safety of school bus travellers now!
Pollies can roll out statistics till the cows come home about how much safer bus travel is compared with other forms of motorised transport but that will not alter one simple fact ... it's only a matter of time!
Good to see Ms Faehrmann's move!
The $64 question locals in the electorate of Clarence will have on the tips of their tongues will be: And what is our local MP, Chris Gulaptis, who resides a stone's throw (okay, okay, so he lives over the hill and a few streets away from the site of yesterday's crash) prepared to do about improving bus safety by having school buses fitted with seat belts?
Mr Gulaptis, it's over to you.
Sources: The Daily Examiner, The Sydney Morning Herald
Pic credit: The Daily Examiner
