The Airdrie Minor Hockey Association (AMHA) believes it is their duty to provide the safest possible environment for all players, coaches and families travelling to games.  

It's for that reason that AMHA is taking the proactive step of making it mandatory for all teams to use only chartered buses with seatbelts.  The decree is effective immediately.

AMHA Executive Director Darrin Harrold says it's a step they've been talking about for some time.

"We just want to make sure our players are as safe as possible when they're travelling to and from games.  If there's anything we can do as a minor hockey association to be leaders around Canada.  Airdrie Minor Hockey is one of the associations to take the first steps to be a leader."

AMHA sent a letter to all coaches and managers last week making seatbelt use effective immediately. 

Harrold says charter bus companies are all moving toward having seatbelts installed.  Transport Canada has mandated that all medium and large size buses have seatbelts by September 2020.   He says newer buses all have seatbelts but some older ones still don't.

"The bus companies are moving towards that, it's just not every bus company has it so it's proven a little bit difficult to phone around and see.  Some of their buses do have it, but some don't because some have older buses and some have newer buses.  It was a bit of a challenge to figure it out but I think we got it all worked out, so that's good."

The letter that went out to coaches and managers stated that AMHA has communicated with their current bus suppliers as well as Traxx bus lines to ensure an adequate supply of buses for their teams.

Harrold says the Humboldt Broncos bus tragedy really brought the issue to the attention of the AMHA executive.  "It definitely put it into the minds of our Executive Committee.  What could we do to provide safety options for our players."

Michelle and Tom Straschnitzki, the parents of Ryan, a Humboldt Broncos player who was seriously injured in the crash, have lobbied to make seatbelts mandatory for all travelling sports teams.  Michelle says she is very happy about the move from AMHA.  "Hopefully it will trigger other communities and associations to do the same."  

The letter sent by AMHA says it will be the responsibility of the bus driver, coaches, and parents to ensure all passengers are following this policy.  If any passenger travelling with an AMHA team refuses to wear a seatbelt, they'll be asked to leave the bus.  

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