Page 71 - School Bus Operators and Attendants Handbook

Child Safety Restraint Systems (CSRS)

Guidelines for Transporting Preschool-Aged Students in School Buses

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released guidelines in February 1999
regarding the safe transportation of preschool-aged children on school buses. The Palm Beach
County School District’s Transportation Department has worked diligently towards providing for
the special transportation needs of all our preschool children by updating our buses, child safety
restraint systems, and training/retraining programs for personnel.

The NHTSA guidelines suggest that every preschool-aged child should be transported in some type
of Child Safety Restraint System (CSRS). The CSRS that have been considered include car seats,
safety vests, integrated systems, and special needs car seats.

Types of Child Safety Restraint System

Preschool-aged children riding on the school bus will need to be placed into a Child Safety Restraint
System (CSRS). The following information illustrates some of the different types of CSRS that might
be found on a school bus:

 Infant Only Seat
 Rear-Facing Convertible Seat
 Forward-Facing Convertible Seat

The type of CSRS used with each individual will depend on the child’s age, weight, height, physical
abilities, and mental abilities. The child’s IEP team, often including a transportation representative,
makes this decision. It is imperative that you follow the listed factors below regarding Child Safety
Restraint Systems. You must:
 Check that the CSRS is appropriate for the child’s weight, height, and age
 Follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly
 Install the CSRS in the bus first, prior to seating the child
 Be sure that there is no more than one inch of “play” in the system when held at the belt path
 Check car seats daily that remain on the bus. Be sure that they are still tightly secured to the bus
seat
 Secure the child into the CSRS according to the manufacturer’s instructions
 If a parent places the child into the CSRS, then YOU (driver or attendant) must still check to be
sure the child is properly secured into the CSRS

Training on the use of Child Safety Restraint Systems

All personnel who transport special needs/preschool aged children must receive training on the
installation of child safety restraint systems on the school bus, and the safe placement of

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Child Safety Restraint Systems (CSRS)