Students in regional communities can now buckle up and ride to and from school more safely with seatbelts installed in every dedicated school bus in rural and regional NSW.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the $237 million seatbelt program would give regional students, their families and entire communities the reassurance that travelling to and from school is now safer than ever.
“Country kids have to travel longer distances than those in the city, and we want to make those journeys as safe as possible,” Mr Toole said.
“Seatbelts save lives – and I’m proud to deliver on our commitment to fit more than 2,500 buses with seatbelts to help keep some of our most precious road users safe.”
Nationals Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the seatbelt program is great news for regional school students.
“Student safety is so important, whether that’s on the way to school or after they’ve entered the school gates, and we know that wearing a seat belt makes the journey to school safer,” Ms Mitchell said.
“As a regional Minister and parent who regularly uses regional roads, I’m really happy to see that this initiative is providing a safer trip between home and school for students.”
Nationals Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the NSW Government had completed the NSW Rural and Regional Bus Seatbelt Program two years ahead of schedule.
“More than 200,000 students will be able to wear a seatbelt on school buses delivering a welcome boost in bus safety for school children right across regional NSW.
“The NSW Government invested $237 million to help keep our kids safer on regional roads and today marks the successful completion of the program.
“Regional school buses frequently have to travel on unsealed roads and on roads outside urban areas with a speed limit of 80 km/h and above and now thanks to more than these seat-belted buses in service, we know our children with be safer.”
For more information on the program, please visit: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/operations/buses-and-coaches/rural-and-regional-seatbelt-program-taskforce
