727 - School Bus Safety Instruction

The District will conduct school bus safe riding practices instruction and emergency safety drills at least twice during the school year for students who utilize District transportation.  Each District bus vehicle will have, in addition to the regular emergency safety drill, a plan for helping those students who require special assistance to safety during an emergency. This will include, but not be limited to, students with disabilities.  District vehicle drivers are required to attend each safety drill.  Employees are responsible for instructing the proper techniques to be followed during an emergency, as well as safe riding practices.

 

All District personnel and designees must wear seat belts while operating District and private vehicles for District functions.  All District personnel must use the tire protective cage when inflating or deflating a tire used on District buses and tractors.

The district shall utilize three-point lap-shoulder belts on district school buses as required by state law. All three-point lap-shoulder belts available on district buses must be used by passengers when the vehicle is in any non-stationary gear.

It is the goal of the Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District to provide the safest student transportation possible. The District requires that all students riding a school district bus equipped with seat belts, or any school vehicle equipped with seat belts, wear seat belts while the vehicle is in motion.

Drivers are not responsible for, and/or liable for, ensuring that students wear seat belts while riding in any school vehicle. Drivers will instruct students to put on seat belts prior to the bus leaving a school. Drivers will announce prior to departure that each student must be seated with their seat belt fastened.

Students who require assistance using seat belts should ask the bus driver for help so that all students are safely belted in their seats before the bus is in motion. All students will receive instruction on the proper use of seat belts during the twice-annual bus safety drills.

Students refusing to use seat belts create a safety concern for themselves and others and are subject to school district disciplinary action. Repeated refusal to wear seat belts may result in suspension of bus riding privileges.

REVIEWED: 11/18/2019 – APPROVED 12/03/2019

REVIEWED: 03/24/2025 – REVISED: 03/16/2026

APPROVED: 04/20/2026