Katie Couric sounds off on school bus safety

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A December 4, 2006, post from "Katie Couric's Notebook" on CBSNews.com, Couric shares her view on the recent seat belts on school buses debate prompted by the tragic Alabama school bus accident that killed four students.

Couric says that about 17 thousand kids go to the emergency room each year as a result of school bus accidents, most of which occur while the students are getting on or off the bus. In the same breath, Couric states:

But a lot of SERIOUS injuries could be prevented by something that's standard in every American car -- seat belts. Buses, in most states, aren't required to have them.

While her thought of adding seat belts to school buses is well-intended, I'm wondering how she thinks the belts are going to help prevent the accidents that occur during loading or unloading. It seems that more than just seat belts are needed to protect our children. Maybe better training programs for drivers, more strict rules for students, and higher penalties for cars who disobey laws in school zones would also help make traveling by school buses safer for our children.