Minco Crash Renews Push to Require Seatbelts on Oklahoma School Buses

mike33692
Sep 10
1 min read

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Minco school bus crash has revived calls to require seatbelts on Oklahoma school buses, a proposal that has repeatedly stalled.

AG Gentner Drummond and business leader Harold Hamm say the safety upgrade is overdue, arguing that not having seatbelts “just doesn’t make sense.”

What’s Blocked Past School Bills

School districts cite retrofit costs, bus inventory age, and logistics (fit, capacity, evacuation times). Prior bills failed over funding and whether mandates should apply to new purchases only.

What a Compromise Could Look Like

Policy options in play:

New-bus-only requirement with a phase-in timeline
State matching grants or bond authority for retrofits
Pilot programs in high-crash corridors
Training standards for buckling, evacuation, and driver oversight

Timeline to Watch

Lawmakers are drafting concepts for the 2026 session; parent groups and insurers are expected to testify on injury reduction and potential premium impacts.