Hays CISD bus in rollover crash did not have seat belts

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A Hays CISD school bus that was in a Friday afternoon crash did not have seat belts, according to Hays CISD Chief Communication Officer Tim Savoy on Saturday.

RELATED: 2 dead, more than 50 people involved in school bus rollover crash, officials say

One child on the bus died in the accident, according to Texas DPS, with at least 10 other patients transported from the scene by STARFlight and Austin-Travis County EMS.

The bus was a 2011 model, Savoy said, which predates a 2017 Texas law mandating seat belts on school buses. Savoy said that as of 2022, around 40 of the district’s 200 buses lacked seat belts because Hays CISD had them prior to 2017.

RELATED: Man pulls kids out of Hays CISD bus after crash

All buses in use by Austin ISD, Leander ISD and Pflugerville ISD have seat belts, according to the districts’ websites. KXAN reached out to Round Rock ISD for information about its bus fleet.

Parents push to get seat belts on all Hays CISD buses

Hays CISD parents said they intended to make public comments about seat belts on district buses, at a now-canceled Hays CISD Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, March 25.

Hays CISD parent Megan Owens said she was among those who have bus safety concerns and was prepared to speak at that meeting.

Before Saturday’s statement, Owens said parents intended to ask the district how many buses did not have seat belts and how much money would be needed to retrofit them with the safety devices.

She also said parents are prepared to help raise the funds needed to fulfill that request.

“Once we get that dollar figure from the district, we plan to establish a GoFundMe page to start raising that money. Depending on how big that dollar figure is we might take additional steps beyond that, but that is our first initial goal,” Owens said.

Since the crash, memorials for those affected have been erected at the crash site and outside Tom Green Elementary.

Bouquets of flowers, stuffed animals and cheerful balloons were lined up underneath the school’s sign out front.

Hays CISD sixth grader Jeremy Guerra was among those who paid respects Saturday, adding a stuffed bear to the memorial outside the school.

He said he’s ridden the district’s buses before and while he’s noticed that some do not have seat belts, he’s overall felt safe while on the bus.

“I think they should have seatbelts for the little kids and also the big kids you know to protect us, but I think they’re still safe. I have had a good experience on them,” Guerra said.

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