711.7 School Bus Safety Instruction

The school district shall conduct school bus safe riding practices instruction and emergency safety drills once a year for students who utilize school district transportation. Each school bus vehicle shall have, in addition to the regular emergency safety drill, a plan for helping those students who require special assistance to safety during an emergency. This shall include, but not be limited to, students with disabilities. School district vehicle drivers are required to attend each safety drill. Employees shall be responsible for instructing the proper techniques to be followed during an emergency, as well as safe riding practices.

 

All school personnel and designees must wear seat belts while operating private vehicles for school functions and while operating school vehicles equipped with seat belts. All school personnel must use the tire protective cage when inflating or deflating a tire used on school buses and tractors.

 

Approved:       10/21/2019                   Reviewed:                     Revised:   

711.1 School Bus Seats

It is the goal of the Knoxville Community School District Transportation Department to provide the safest student transportation possible. The District purchased school buses equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts in the 2020-2021 school year. The District requires all students riding a school district bus equipped with lap/shoulder seat belts to wear them while the bus is in motion. 

All students will receive instruction on the proper use of the lap/shoulder seat belts during the twice annual bus safety drill. Drivers are not responsible (i.e. liable) for students wearing the lap/shoulder seat belt while riding. Drivers are responsible for instructing students to put on lap/shoulder seat belts prior to the bus moving. 

Students who may require assistance in using lap/shoulder seat belts should ask the bus driver for help, so all students are safely belted in their seats before the bus is in motion. Drivers will announce prior to the bus moving that each student needs to be in their seat with the lap/shoulder seat belt fastened. 

Students refusing to use the lap/shoulder seat belts create a safety concern for themselves and others, and are subject to school district disciplinary actions. Repeated violations not to wear lap/shoulder seat belts can result in bus suspension. 

All adults accompanying students as bus riders are expected to utilize the lap/shoulder seat belts, too.