Georgia lawmakers may consider requiring school buses to come equipped with seat belts in the wake of a bus crash in Carroll County that killed a 17-year-old student.

State Rep. Terry England told the Athens Banner-Herald that several legislators have discussed a proposal after 17-year-old James Rashawn Walker died this month when his school bus ran into a ditch and overturned.

State education officials have not taken a position on seat belts on large buses.

Georgia Department of Education spokesman Matt Cardoza said regulators are awaiting a three-year study by the University Transportation Center for Alabama on their effectiveness in reducing injuries before taking a stance.

Tags: Georgia, Georgia Department of Education, school buses, seat belts, State Representative Terry England