Seat belts to be required in primary school buses

China's first compulsory safety regulation regarding primary school buses, which requires every seat to have a seat belt, will take effect on July 1 to help ensure safer transportation for the country's 100 million students.

Each primary school bus must also be equipped with a "black box," or a recording monitor, to record speed, travel time and distance, according to the regulation recently released by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, and China's Standardization Commission. The regulation requires each seat to be installed with a seat belt. Also, the bus must be staffed by teachers who will ensure student safety.

In addition, the new rule stipulates that the color of the school buses should be yellow, and each bus must have at least two emergency exits.