109 HRES 498 IH: Supporting the goals and ideals of School Bus Safety Week. U.S. House of Representatives 2005-10-18 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 498 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 18, 2005 Mr. Duncan submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform RESOLUTION Supporting the goals and ideals of School Bus Safety Week.

Whereas approximately 480,000 yellow school buses carry 25 million children to and from school every weekday; Whereas America’s 480,000 school buses comprise the largest mass transportation fleet in the country, 2.5 times the size of all other forms of mass transportation—transit, intercity buses, commercial airlines, and rail—combined; Whereas during the school year, school buses make more than 50 million passenger trips daily carrying the Nation’s future—our children; Whereas school bus transportation is eight times safer than traveling in a passenger vehicle and is the safest form of ground transportation available; Whereas school buses meet higher construction, equipment, and inspection standards than any other vehicle, and school bus drivers meet higher qualification, training, and testing standards than any other drivers; Whereas according to the National Academy of Sciences, an average of 820 students are killed annually during school transportation hours, but less than 2 percent of them are school bus passengers; Whereas despite the industry’s best efforts, accidents still happen; Whereas an average of seven school-age passengers are killed in school bus crashes each year, and an average of 19 children are killed each year getting on and off the bus; Whereas most of those killed are children aged five to seven, and most often those children are killed in the area immediately surrounding the bus—either by a passing vehicle or by the bus itself; Whereas School Bus Safety Week, which is celebrated in more than 40 States and sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), was created to remind all students of the best ways to get on and off the bus in an effort to enhance the safety of the Nation’s children; Whereas School Bus Safety Week, which dates back to 1966, also recognizes the hard work and dedication of school transportation personnel, especially the many school bus drivers who ensure a safe journey each and every day; and Whereas School Bus Safety Week, celebrated the third week in October, promotes awareness through local and State poster and speech contests, lessons utilizing school bus safety community awareness kits, and other activities built around themes that raise awareness of school bus safety issues: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives supports the goals and ideals of School Bus Safety Week.