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April 27, 2017

Via electronic mail

House Committee on Transportation

Attn: The Honorable Geanie Morrison, Chair
Texas State Capitol
EXT. E2.122
Austin, Texas 78701

Re: Written testimony in support of HB 1188 by Rep. Phelan; safety for Texas children

Dear Chairman Nichols and Members of the Committee:

Texas Watch is a non-partisan, non-profit citizen advocacy organization. Since 1998, we have sought to
protect the rights of consumers and ensure public safety. We submit this written testimony today in
support of HB 1188 by Rep. Phelan because this legislation ensures increased safety for Texas children.

HB 1188 is common-sense safety legislation acting on what Texans already know to be true: that seat
belts save lives. Children across Texas are told with each car ride to buckle-up. Yet once they arrive
on their school buses, many Texas children are left without this important safety measure. Most Texas
school buses lack seatbelts, putting the lives of Texas children at risk.

The Texas Department of Transportation preaches the importance of seat belts to ensure Texans safety
on our roads. TxDOT reports that wearing lap and shoulder belts, combined with air bags, is the most
effective way to reduce fatalities and serious injuries in traffic collisions. Providing seatbelts for children
on our school buses not only improves their safety while traveling to school, but also instills the good habit
of buckling up elsewhere.

Some Texas school districts are already taking the much-needed steps to ensure their students safety
by installing seatbelts on their school buses. Texas cannot afford to have the rest of our districts lag
behind in promoting the safety of our children. Their lives are too precious.

We respectfully ask you to promote the safety of Texas children by voting yes on HB 1188.

Very respectfully,

Victoria Tori Sommerman

Deputy Director

cc: Members of the public and press