Earlier this week (okay, it was Monday) the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a new proposal to have lap and seat belts included on all new motorcoaches.

Over the years, one research study after another has shown how effective a properly worn safety belt is at avoiding passenger injury in the event of a crash, but never have bus manufacturers been required to add them to bus seats.

This new proposal is a supplement to the Motorcoach Safety Action Plan that was announced earlier this year,  a measure intended to deal with motorcoach maintenance and driver fatigue and inattention.

No word yet on whether these requirement includes public school buses, but let’s be honest: school kids would probably just use the belts as another way to torture that weird kid who eats his own paste.