NTSB urging Texas schools to make sure children wear seat belts on school buses: report

LEANDER, Texas - The NTSB is urging Texas schools to make sure children wear seat belts on school buses.

This comes after a school bus crash in Leander back in August. Investigators found only 6 of the 42 students on board were strapped in. Most of them were wearing only their lap belt.

NTSB report on Leander ISD school bus crash

What we know:

The NTSB said Leander ISD didn't do enough to enforce proper seat belt use and is now calling on the state and school districts to create policies. 

The agency said the changes they've requested are critical to save lives and reduce injuries. 

Leander ISD sent a letter to families after the report was released saying these changes have been implemented:

• Drivers are required to confirm students are buckled
• Families will receive reminders about seat belt rules
• Safety signage has been added to each school bus
• Staff has been provided additional training
• A formal policy review is underway

Leander ISD said all of their school buses that run daily routes have seat belts.

Dig deeper:

In 2017, Texas law required seat belts on newly purchased school buses. It does include an exemption if the school district lacks funding.

Texas Education Code ‘Bus Seat Belt Policy,’ enacted in 2007, requires students riding a district bus to wear a seat belt if it has one.

You can view the full NTSB report below:

Leander ISD's response

"Dear Leander ISD families and staff,

Student safety remains our top priority, and we take seriously our responsibility to ensure that every child arrives at school and returns home safely each day.

We received the National Transportation Safety Board’s report and urgent recommendations following its investigation into the school bus rollover crash that occurred Aug. 13, 2025. We are grateful that all students and our driver survived the crash and continue to recover. We also appreciate the NTSB’s thorough review, which offers important lessons for school districts nationwide about ensuring consistent seat belt use on school buses.

Leander ISD immediately implemented changes to our safety practices after our own initial investigation. We appreciate that NTSB’s initial findings and recommendations align with our own. The following illustrates our commitment to best practices and communication:

• Driver Accountability and Monitoring: Drivers are required to confirm that students are properly belted before departing campuses each afternoon and to remind students during morning routes. Team Leads now conduct random video reviews to verify compliance.
• Clear Expectations and Communication: Families have received districtwide reminders via SMART Tag emphasizing that all riders must wear seat belts on buses equipped with them. Updated messaging will appear in the Student & Parent Handbook, the Transportation Handbook and the Employee Handbook.
• Safety Signage: Decals reinforcing seat belt expectations are being added inside each bus to serve as visual reminders for students and drivers.
• Training and Oversight: Additional education and training on seat belt use are being provided to transportation staff, campus administrators, and families. Routine audits and safety inspections will ensure sustained compliance with district policy and state law.
• Policy Review and Audit: We are formalizing an enforceable district policy for seat belt use, including procedures for monitoring, reporting, and accountability, consistent with Texas Education Code §34.013 and the NTSB’s recommendation (HIR2507).

We are committed to learning from this event and to modeling the highest standards of safety in student transportation. We thank our transportation professionals for their dedication and the families who continue to partner with us to keep every child safe.

For more information about seat belt safety expectations and transportation updates, please visit www.leanderisd.org/transportation.

Sincerely,

Tracie Franco
Senior Director | Transportation Services
Leander Independent School District"

Local perspective:

Delbert Crawford, Changing Lanes CDL school director and owner, said seat belt safety is part of their drivers’ training.

"Seat belts are one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce injuries and save lives is just click it, simple as that. A three-year-old and a two-year old can click their own seat belts."

Crawford said they do need to know what they’re doing, though.

"It's not enough to install seat belts. The districts have to set a clear policy for enforcement and education on how to use them or show someone how to install them right or connect them correctly," Crawford said.

Leander ISD school bus crash

The backstory:

Forty-six students were on their way home from Bagdad Elementary School at approximately 3:14 p.m. on August 13, when a Leander ISD school bus overturned, sending a number of students and the driver to the hospital. 

The report indicates that the vehicle was traveling south on Nameless Road in Leander when it drifted left over the center line, then to the right and past the edge of the roadway before crossing an embankment and flipping over. 

The bus, a 2025 Blue Bird, was equipped with seat belts, but the report shows that a number of the students on board were not wearing them, and they were thrown from their seats. 

In Texas, state law requires all buses to have 3-point seatbelts with both shoulder and lap straps. 

Following the incident, Leander ISD announced they are now instructing drivers to confirm that all passengers are buckled up prior to departing. 

Sixteen students sustained injuries during the crash, as well as the bus driver. The driver, 78-year-old Tim Gall, was ticketed for improper use of his seatbelt, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, in addition to failure to drive in a single lane and crossing the double-yellow center line. 

After being placed on administrative leave following the incident, Gall is no longer employed by the Leander Independent School District. 

The report stated that the road was wet at the time of the accident, following a period of light rain.