TN Lawmaker To Reintroduce Seat Belt, School Bus Bill After Fatal Crash
By Jason Hall
October 30, 2020
A Tennessee lawmaker is reportedly planning to reintroduce legislation to make seat belts mandatory on school buses after a fatal crash occurred in Meigs County this week.
On Tuesday, a 7-year-old girl and a bus driver were killed in a crash that also hospitalized seven other children. Tennessee is among the 32 states that do not require seat belts on school buses.
State Representative Susan Lynn (R-Wilson County) told FOX 17 News' Sara Small that she plans to refile a legislation adding seat belts as a requirement on school buses. Lynn was initially one of several lawmakers who supported the legislation in 2016, which was sent to then-Governor Bill Haslam, who supported the legislation and approved for a grant fund.
"Back in 2016, it did not pass because of local school districts. It really wasn't the legislature. We went back to then-Governor Bill Haslam and asked if he would make a grant fund [for this] and he did," Rep. Lynn said.
The Tennessee Department of Education confirmed to FOX 17 News that "$707,500 has been awarded" over "two grant cycles in 2018-19 and 2019-20," with the grant totaling $3 million.
The Tennessee Department of Education confirmed the 2018-19 cycle included Cannon, Dickson, Hancock, Hickman, Knox, Roane and Robertson counties, as well as Greenville City, while the 2019-20 cycle included Greenville City and Robertson, Union, Hancock, Sequatchie, Perry Roane, Cannon and Greene counties, FOX 17 News reports.
Rep. Lynn told FOX 17 News that districts would need to add newer school buses for seat belts to be installed, which she believes would cost an estimated $8,500 to $9,500 to equip.
THP confirmed 22 students were on Bus #12-1 when the crash took place on Tuesday afternoon and seven were transported to Erlanger hospital in Chattanooga, with at least one in critical condition.
A service electric truck was driving north on Highway 58 when the driver lost control and overcorrected, leading to the vehicle reentering the highway and skidding into the school bus head on in an opposite lane.