Legal Question in Criminal Law in Texas

If the bus has safety belts, then it would be illegal to ride facing backwards because it would not be the proper use of seatbelts:

Sec. 545.413. SAFETY BELTS; OFFENSE. (a) A person commits an offense if:

......

(2) as the operator of a school bus equipped with a safety belt for the operator's seat, the person is not secured by the safety belt.

In addition, the driver may feel that riding backward would be a sort of violation of this rule:

Sec. 545.426. OPERATION OF SCHOOL BUS. .......

(b) An operator of a school bus, while operating the bus, shall prohibit a passenger from:

(1) standing in the bus; or

(2) sitting:

(A) on the floor of the bus; or

(B) in any location on the bus that is not designed as a seat.

Finally, even if not illegal, it is more than likely a violation of policy of the school and absolutely a distraction - which would be a violation of the rules . . .