Paul Sassone

It’s good to be Number One.

For instance, the other night on the news some national political pundit was being interviewed about the legal troubles of former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.

The interviewer mentioned other Illinois politicians who had run afoul of the law. He asked the pundit whether Illinois politicians are more corrupt than politicians in other states.

The pundit replied, “All I can say is that when it comes to political corruption there is Illinois and then there is everyone else.”

OK, so maybe it isn’t so great to be Number One.

How about being last? Maybe it’s good for Illinois to be last in some things.

School buses, for instance.

Illinois is the last state not to require seat belts on school buses.

That’s not strictly true. Illinois is tied with 43 other states for last place in requiring seat belts on school buses. Only California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Texas require seat belts on school buses.

Each year approximately 7,200 children are injured in school bus accidents and four children die.

So, no, it isn’t good to be last in school bus safety, either.

School buses have been exempted from seat belt laws primarily because of cost. It is estimated the price tag for installing seat belts is $7,000 to $10,000 per school bus.

Other than saying seat belts are good things, the federal government has stood back from the issue. But that is changing.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) now is recommending seat belts be installed on all school buses, joining the Centers for Disease Control in saying that seat belts are the single most effective way to avoid traffic injuries and deaths.

The NHTSA is not offering any legislation or proposing federal rules. It hopes that its recommendation will move states to act.

But only days after making its recommendation, opponents —
transportation trade groups and, of course, Republicans — say the NHTSA is wrong.

Sounding a lot like Jefferson Davis, these opponents say the decision on whether to belt or not to belt should be left to the states and local municipalities. Only they know the need, risks and resources available.

I confess myself stumped by this — and other — states rights arguments.

OK, picking a state flower should be left to each state. Whether the gerbil or the weasel should be state animal is fine to decide locally, too.

But vital, life-and-death help should be part of every American’s rights, not just to people in this state or that state.

So, why should a child who rides a school bus in one state be more in danger than a child riding a school bus in a state that requires seat belts?

All children’s lives are precious wherever they live.

Six states already are able to require seat belts on school buses. So there must be a way to do it.

What the 44 states — Illinois included — should be asking is not whether to equip school buses with seat belts, but how to go about equipping school buses with seat belts.

It’s time for Illinois to do something right for a change.

–It’s time Illinois did something right for a change–