Parents take seatbelt campaign to Europe
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Campaigners for improved safety on school coaches and minibuses are to seek European Commission backing in an attempt to get international action on seatbelt standards. As it was confirmed yesterday that the French coach which crashed on Monday killing three British teenagers had no seatbelts, Pat Harris, of the Belt Up School Kids (Busk) campaign, said parents needed to know that their children were secure when they went abroad.
Busk is preparing to go to Brussels for a series of meetings on coach safety being organised by Neil Kinnock, the European transport commissioner. The campaign wants European legislation to make seatbelts compulsory in all coaches and minibuses being used by children. In the interim, it wants the British legislation which made it compulsory for coaches and minibuses carrying children to have belts extended to cover British children travelling outside the country. "Just because they have left UK soil shouldn't mean you can abandon the requirement," Mrs Harris said.
David Bowes, the headmaster of St James's High School in Bolton, Lancashire, which suffered the tragedy, said the school policy was to use vehicles that had seatbelts, as was required by law in Britain. But the hired British coach broke down at the weekend and was replaced with a French one, driven by the same British driver. French coaches rarely have seatbelts.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments