Lake Country Councillor Penny Gambell is urging the provincial government to take initiative and provide funding to fit school busses with seatbelts.
The motion, which was passed during Tuesday’s council meeting, will move to the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), before getting to the provincial government.
In July 2018, Transport Canada made amendments to the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations, which included seat belt installation in school busses must be adhered to by September 1, 2020.
“It’s not reasonable to be done for Semptember [2019] because it’s not in anyone’s budget,” said Gambell.
The councillor roughly estimates that seat belts will be fitted within two to three years, which will be past the deadline set by Transport Canada.
“We are talking about a lot of busses,” she said, speaking on the magnitude of the project.
Nonetheless, Gambell said it is important to students strapped into their bus seats. And if students to wish to comply, then there will need to be more measures in place until the seat belts are used properly.
“We have to figure out a way,” said Gambell, reflecting on how children learn to do up their seat belt in their parents car. “Your kids have to be belted or you don’t drive; that might have to be the bus policy.”
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