In a recent letter to Newsday, Arthur Yeager, founder of the National Coalition for School Bus Safety, stated that the time has come for every school district to immediately adopt a policy requiring the use of seat belts on schools buses. While I agree with Mr. Yeager regarding the usefulness of school bus seat belts, the fact remains that school districts have had the option to adopt such a policy for nearly 20 years and, to date, approximately 26 out of 709 New York State school districts have done so.

That is the reason I have repeatedly sponsored legislation to require all children in New York State to wear seat belts while riding on a school bus. The fact that children must buckle up in automobiles and not when traveling on school buses is wrong and must be changed. A state law would end this existing double standard.

In 1984, New York led the nation in roadway safety by requiring seat belt use in all automobiles on our roadways. In 1986, the state was again at the forefront by requiring all new school buses to be equipped with seat belts. New York State once again has the opportunity to lead the way by requiring the use of seat belts on all school buses throughout the state.

I have and will continue to push for this legislation requiring the use of seat belts on school buses for the safety of the more than two million kids who ride a school bus every school day in our state. The time is now.

Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr.

New York State Senator, 8th