By Ashley Halsey III, Published: August 25

As almost a half-million school buses this week began the annual ritual that will take them an estimated 4.2 billion miles by the time school lets out next spring, federal authorities have concluded that equipping them with seat belts is an unnecessary expense.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rejected a petition by safety advocates who sought a federal mandate to require school bus seat belts.



“We care deeply about schoolchildren and feel that the steps we’ve taken are in the best interests of safety,â€