Crashes rekindle debate about seat belts on buses

The front of a school bus that slammed into the back of another bus, setting off a chain-reaction crash involving four buses in North Webster, Ind.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A state lawmaker hopes two high-profile collisions involving school buses in a week that left more than 60 people injured will spur parents to urge Indiana lawmakers to make seat belts on buses mandatory.

State Rep. John Bartlett of Indianapolis introduced a bill requiring seat belts on buses that was referred to the Committee on Education during the legislative session earlier this year, but no action was taken. Legislative leaders said Thursday that lawmakers would review the use of seat belts on school buses during the summer in a committee looking at a broad range of education issues.

The move comes a day after about 50 middle and high school students in northern Indiana were treated at hospitals mostly for minor injuries following a chain-reaction crash involving four buses.