Today, yet another surface transportation accident happened in the eastern U.S. This times, an Amtrak commuter train derailed. Ir is too early to speculate, except the one comment from passengers that they were entering a curve. Recent experiences have noted that such derailments were caused by excessive speed while in a slow speed warning. That doesn't form a conclusion, just pure speculation.
As I write this, no meaningful information has come forth, nor has any information being disseminated about the train crew, and what they thought might have occurred. So far, 5 passengers have been confirmed dead.
As the crews work through the night, it has degenerated into using the jaws of life to extricate the last passengers, which could raise the casualty count.
This brings up a salient point. Not one common carrier, except the airlines, not only do not require seat belts, they do not even offer them to passengers the option to buckle up. I have never been an activist about belting up except for children.
This brings up another critical point. While parents are transporting their children to a school bus stop, can be stopped, cited for transporting a child without the use of restraints , the school bus has no seat belts, either mandated, or even available.
It this is not a double standard, tell me why. Is a bus load of young students less valuable than an infant or child in a private car? While I do not advocate universal seat belt laws for adults, I find no difference between family cars transporting small children, and School and common carrier buses.
DFO Day in CdA
7 years ago
6 comments:
my husband works for the school district bus shop.. and when i asked him, he said.. because there is no way one bus driver can make it down the line to release the belts, (by cutting them) if they don't release, in time before the bus catches fire.. Or the children fighting to get lose, will take up time they could have been out of the bus..
OK, that is a legitimate point. Having said that, it occurs to me is that there should be a centrally located electronic release or even that a computer system could do that job. I appreciate your input, but I still question whether the industry cannot solve that problem. If it is, which I suspect, a budget problem, then dammit, our kids are worth whatever it takes to protect them.
If oxygen masts an automatically drop in front of passengers, then certainly, science can develop a system that doesn't require a 19th century solution.
Just after I posted this, CNN had a thing on this.They reported that the automatic safety solutions were not cost productive. REALLY? What are these lives worth and what right do these people have to boil down loss of life as a buget issue. SHIT.
One official exclaimed, with apparently tongue in cheek, suggested that belted passengers would be hit with flying bodies. Why then with nobody belted that would improve the situation.
This isn't the fault of maintenance people, but politicians. I am not a happy camper, people.
They do have seat belts in the smaller buses.. especially in the handicap buses
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