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In-Service Safety Series
TRANSPORTING INFANTS AND TODDLERS
 In-Service Safety Series
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LESSON PLAN
INSTRUCTOR NOTES


III. If There Is Occupant Protection Available

  1. First, let's talk about using occupant protection for pre-school children
  2. We have 2 choices
    1. We can use the child safety seat systems that are built into the buses
    2. When safety belts are available, we can use them to anchor our own child safety seats or a parent's child safety seat
  3. There are some basic requirements about child safety seats
  4. The built-in or portable child safety seat that you are using must
    1. Meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213
      1. Check the label it contains the manufacturers certification
    2. Fit properly into the confines of the bus seat whether forward-facing or rear-facing
    3. Must be properly anchored to the vehicle seat frame by the seat belt
  5. You also need to know how to correctly install a child safety seat in the bus and how to secure the child in the seat
  6. A word of advice
    1. Whenever you have a child safety seat on a bus, also have a seat belt cutter on the bus
    2. In case of an emergency evacuation, many pupil transportation managers believe it is much faster and safer to simply cut the seat belt and take the child and seat off the bus together
  7. Some final words about child safety seats
    1. IT TAKES TIME
      1. To correctly install a child safety seat and then to properly secure the child into the seat takes time and attention
      2. Likewise it takes time to take the seat and the child off the bus
      3. This must be built into your schedule of loading and unloading
      4. If possible, leave the child safety seat on the bus

      (1) It will save a lot of time if you don't have to hook and unhook the child safety seat each time the child boards and exits the bus

      (2) However, be sure to check regularly to make sure that the safety belt hasn't loosened

    2. Let's talk for a minute about whose child safety seat to use

      (Local policies or procedures)


III.D. Display Slide #8

III.E. Demonstration

III.G. Display Slide #9



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


III.A. You will need to customize the discussion in this section based on the equipment that you have available. For example, if you have no buses with built-in systems, you will want to skip those references entirely.

III.B.1. There are two kinds of built-in child safety seats for school buses on the market today:

  • The Integrated Child Restraint Seat, made by C.E. White Co.
  • The MOMS Seating System, made by Thomas Built.

III.D.1.a. Look for the date of manufacture and the model number on each seat. If these two items are not on the seat, DO NOT USE THE SEAT. DESTROY THE SEAT.

III.E. See the discussion on Page 2 for how to provide this demonstration. Make sure that the following points are made during this session:

  • Put your body weight in the child safety seat and push down while pulling the seat belt as tight as possible. This secures the seat snugly. Tug on the seat. It should not move more than one inch forward or sidewards.
  • Tuck the webbing from the seat belt (used to secure the child safety seat) behind the child safety seat so that other students can't pull on them.

III.F.1. Show a seat belt cutter so that participants know what one looks like.

III.G.2. Review your local policy and procedures on whose CSS to use, the parent's or the school system's.

The advantages of using the school's equipment include:

  • can track the history of the CSS
  • can be sure the CSS has all its parts
  • can replace parts or CSS when necessary for the safety of the child
  • can select seat that fits best on the school bus
  • can be certain CSS is registered assuring the school will be notified of all recalls.



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