Any time there's an accident involving a school bus, we all take notice.

Unfortunately, another school bus accident took place recently. We were glad to report that only minor injuries were received by five of the elementary students. That's five too many, of course, but considering the bus was rear-ended by a pickup truck, the toll could have been higher and much more serious.

A separate incident involving a school bus took place earlier this month when a bus parked at an intersection was broad-sided when a driver ran through a stop sign.

Incidents such as that, and many much worse, have led to a new rule imposed by the federal government that requires lap-and-should seat belts for new buses (that are currently required to have lap belts) weighing less than 5 tons. The new rule also requires larger buses to have higher seat backs, for safety reasons, than they currently do.

These new rules make good sense and are reasonable measures to add to the safety of children riding in buses.

Lt. James Johns of the Rapid City Police Department did point out that seat belts on the school bus would likely not have prevented the injuries sustained Thursday.

"Those big buses, they don't give," Johns said, explaining how the injuries were likely avoided and why the bus had minor damage while the other vehicle was totaled.

Buses are big and intentionally painted bright colors. You should have trouble spotting one on the road. But for the smaller buses, the ones under 5 tons addressed in the new rules, we do see some wisdom in the new rules that have been applied.

Quite simply, anything within reason we can do to protect our children should be done.

There were concerns, of course, with the new rule for bus safety and where it might lead - meaning to larger buses.

One concern was, if seat belts were required, how would school districts enforce the rules? Another was a concern about quick evacuation should dozens of students be buckled in. And seating capacity would be lost, of course, should every student be forced to a specific spot, unable to slide over.

We understand these concerns but if, after thoughtful discussion and study, it was determined reasonable steps could increase students' safety, then those steps would make sense. That doesn't appear to be the case now.

It's easy to say every school bus should be equipped with the latest safety gear, despite the costs, and most anxious parents probably have said just that.

But it's not realistic.

Bus crashes are uncommon as are serious injuries as a result of them. The Transportation Department shows that 25 million children each year travel on one of 474,000 school buses. And during the course of each year, six children are killed in school bus accidents