Humboldt Broncos families frustrated seatbelts still not mandatory on highway buses

Two and a half years after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, families of those lost and injured are still calling for seatbelt policies on highway buses. Taylor Braat reports.

CALGARY (CityNews) – Two and a half years after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash, families of those lost and injured are still calling for seatbelt policies on highway buses.

“It’s disgusting that nothing has changed. This is not okay,” said Michelle Strazchnitski. Her son Ryan was paralyzed from the waist down in the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash which took 16 lives and injured 13 in April 2018.

“We should not be fighting for this, two and a half years after the bus crash. It’s not right. It’s just, it’s a no brainer.”

Following the crash, those impacted made emotional and urgent pleas for seatbelts to be made mandatory on all highway buses but said it’s unacceptable that those changes have still not come into effect.

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“Transport Canada needs to get their butt in gear and so does our government,” said Strazchnitzki. “Conservative, NDP, Liberals, I don’t care, that’s not the issue, that’s not the problem. The problem is ‘get your heads together, do what’s right.'”

Transport Canada requires all new medium and large highway buses to have seatbelts but passengers do not have to wear them.

Chris Joseph is the father of Jaxon, who was killed in the crash. He said after two and a half years, the calls are losing momentum but they will never stop pushing for safer highways.

“When I think about the window of opportunity to make change closing, I just think about how one person deciding to stay with it has made some positive change even years after and I don’t think we’ll ever give up.”

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