School Bus Safety Act of 2019

School Bus Safety Act of 2019

This bill addresses safety features for school buses.

Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement rules requiring school buses to include

• a three-point safety belt at each designated seating position,
• a fire suppression system which addresses engine fires,
• a firewall that prohibits hazardous quantities of gas or flame to pass through the firewall from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment,
• an automatic emergency braking system,
• an event data recorder, and
• an electronic stability control system.

DOT must also establish a grant program to assist local educational agencies to purchase school buses equipped with three-point safety belts or any of the other safety features under this bill and assist them in modifying existing school buses to be equipped with such features.