The SECURES Act of 2024 requires the Secretary of Transportation to develop new federal safety standards for seat belts on school buses within 180 days of the bill's enactment. The legislation applies to all new school buses regardless of their size and directs the Transportation Department to consider lap-and-shoulder belt systems, which safety experts have found provide greater protection than lap belts alone, particularly in preventing upper body injuries. The bill also requires the department to evaluate innovative safety technologies such as seat belt detection systems and reminder alerts, as well as lessons learned from states that already mandate seat belts on school buses. This bill is aimed at improving the safety of children who ride school buses by establishing consistent federal requirements across the country. No specific funding amount is allocated in the legislation, though the rulemaking process itself will be conducted by existing government resources.
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