School bus safety concerns have grown from the local level to the national stage. For the first time, The National Transportation Safety Board recommends new school buses in every state be equipped with lap and shoulder seat belts.

Georgia is one of 42 states that does not require school buses to have seat belts.

News 3 spoke with Vanessa Kaigler from the Savannah Chatham County Public School System. Kaigler says the district is taking the recommendations into serious consideration.

“As we continue to vet the information that wil come down from the NTSB and look at some of the causes of the recent accidents and based on the information and the data, we will make a decision as we prepare for the upcoming school year,” said Kaigler.

According to a National Highway Transportation Safety Agency report, there were 281 school age children killed in bus crashes between 2007 and 2016.

Back in December 2017, a school bus crash claimed the life of a 5-year old Liberty County student. 

“Anytime we see the demise of a child as a result of an accident, certainly it brings it to the forefront,” said Kaigler.

The NTSB has only made a recommendation and it does not have the power to enforce it. However, districts across the country are beginning to make note of the recommendation in preparation for a new school year.