The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is endorsing three-point seat belts on school buses for the first time.
NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind speaking on Sunday acknowledged that the agency "has not always spoken with a clear voice on the issue of seat belts on school buses."
In the past, NHTSA has suggested that retrofitting school buses with seat belts was a costly proposition and that buses, sans seat belts, were safe.
"Absent a federal requirement for belts, NAPT continues to agree with NHTSA that it is most appropriate if the decision to order seat belts on large school buses were left to the states and local jurisdictions," the organization said in a statement.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the change is needed in order to help keep children safe and be more consistent in messaging about the seat belt safety.