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https://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/events

Traffic safety of buses

Linja-autojen liikenneturvallisuus

The aim of this study was to review accidents in bus traffic that resulted in casualties and to investigate the causes of these accidents. Sources used include: accident statistics, case reports of fatal accidents, publications from the accident investigation centre and other related written sources, both foreign and domestic. Acquired knowledge was further enhanced with the help of bus driver questionnaire participated by 417 drivers. The study was part of the LINTU - research program. The driving force behind the study is the following government-approved vision: "The road traffic system must be planned so that no-one has to suffer a fatal or serious accident in traffic." The vision aims for continuous reduction in the amount of serious traffic accidents and it challenges various governmental bodies, authorities, organisations and corporations to develop measures that help to reach this goal. Approximately 141 accidents resulting in injury and 16 fatal accidents annually have involved a bus. In the accidents involving a bus, fatalities among the bus passengers comprise approximately 10% of all fatalities. In other words, fatalities occur about 9.1 times more often among other traffic groups (usually operating lighter vehicles) than among those who travel in a bus. But relatively speaking, more injuries happen in buses than in other traffic groups. Approximately 143 people of all bus travellers are injured annually. Of these, 11% are bus drivers and 89% passengers. Fatalities are rare in bus accidents (1995-2002 averaged two fatalities per year), but a single accident or a single large scale accident can multiply the number of the fatalities compared to the previous year. The people who died in a bus comprise only 0.4% of all road traffic fatalities and people who were injured in a bus comprise 1.4% of all traffic injuries. The injury risk for bus travel is 1.8 injuries/100 million travelled kilometres per person while the same figure for car traffic is 10.36. If we view the injury risk in proportion with the vehicular kilometres, the injury risk for a bus is 1.6 times that of a car. Traffic insurance centre receives information on more accidents than the official statistics reveal, but these accidents are less severe. A total of 103 accident reports (involving a bus) of fatal accidents between the years 1995 and 2002 were also studied for this study. Of the 103 accidents, 22 were caused by the bus. The accidents were caused by the combination of the driving habits and behaviour and human error. Pre-emptive actions can be effective for the party that collides with a bus. According to statements by accident investigators, seatbelts would have saved two passengers and about 20 people would have received less injuries or no injuries at all. Direct line of vision to the bus doors and better technology in the doors in terms of their closing would have saved three lives. In a bus collision, the front of the bus's chassis and body should protect the passengers, the driver and the control equipment of the bus. On the other hand, the front end of the bus should be "softer" to protect the other party in a collision. Accidents where the bus goes off road are the most dangerous ones for passengers. Accidents resulting in physical injury when boarding or exiting a bus and passengers getting injured in a bus (no collision but for instance slips, trips and falls, occasionally as a result of abrupt turning, breaking or other driving manoeuvres) are typical accident types for bus traffic. Various interest groups in Sweden have started a common campaign that aims to further improve bus safety. Various sources suggest that the following areas could be improved, for example: driver training, fire safety of the vehicles, vision from the bus and inside the bus to the doors, door technology, ability to better anticipate forthcoming events, reducing the slipperiness of bus stops, enhancing the crash zones in heavy vehicles, having seat belts and using them, rear obstacle detection system, aptitude tests for driver candidates, traffic culture in general, planning of schedules, privileges and dedicated lanes for buses in residential areas, using only drivers that drive bus regularly and proactive health care. This report is available at http://www.mintc.fi

Language

  • Finnish

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01015201
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: TRL
  • ISBN: 951-723-745-6
  • Files: ITRD
  • Created Date: Jan 12 2006 8:51AM