SAFER ON-ROAD: 5 Safety Tips for Bus Companies and Bus Drivers
How to improve safety for transit buses
Transit buses play a crucial part in urban transportation ecosystem, whether for commuting, sightseeing, or intercity travel. Each bus could carry up to 100 passengers - not even counting the large double-decked models. This means that any bus-related accident would put dozens of people’s health and safety on the line, underscoring the critical importance of transit bus safety.
On average, there are nearly 60,000 bus accidents each year in the United States. In 2023, 3,171 of 189,815 reported road accidents in Great Britain involved a bus or coach. During peak hours, transit buses frequently face elevated collision risks due to road congestion and limited maneuvering space.
To improve public transit safety, addressing bus-related risks should be a top priority. Below are five key safety practices that can help reduce accidents, lower insurance premiums, and prevent legal liabilities.
1. Perform Regular Maintenance and Inspections
Routine vehicle maintenance is one of the most effective ways to prevent unexpected breakdowns and avoid hardware-related issues. Maintain a daily vehicle inspection checklist could ensure hardware and mechanical integrity. Drivers should visually check inside their vehicle at the start and end of a route, and when they hand over and before the next journey, to ensure abnormalities are flagged and resolved before the next trip.
2. Train bus drivers regularly
Driver behavior plays a critical role in on-road safety. Even the most advanced safety systems cannot fully compensate for inadequate training or inattentiveness behind the wheel. That’s why ongoing driver training programs are essential for minimizing human error and improving response to unexpected situations.
Training should include:
- ● Fire and evacuation drills.
- ● Emergency response protocols.
- ● Ongoing education on road safety practices.
This not only enhances safety but helps build a culture of responsibility and alertness.
3. Eliminate Blind Spots with Vision Assistance
Blind spots are one of the most common contributors to bus collisions, especially involving pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists. To address this, vision assistance systems are now mandatory in many regions.
In Europe, for example, vehicles over 3.5 tons GVWR must comply with UNECE R151 and GSR2 standards to improve indirect visibility. These technologies are essential for improving awareness and reducing preventable accidents.
Vispect’s AI-powered Blind Spot Detection system provides 360° real-time hazard alerts, giving drivers another layer of protection. Certified under UNECE standards and trusted by top transit operators across Europe and Asia, our system includes:
- ● Blind spot detection
- ● Lane departure warnings
- ● Forward collision alerts
4. Improve vehicle evacuation Readiness
Emergencies like fires or crashes demand fast, organized evacuations. Buses should be equipped with:
- ● Clearly marked exits
- ● Emergency tools like break-glass hammers
- ● Floor lighting for low visibility
Drivers should be trained to guide passengers, and operators should conduct periodic drills and equipment inspections. Public awareness campaigns, especially in schools, further enhance preparedness.
5. Implement a Smart Fleet management system
Managing a large fleet requires real-time oversight. Fleet management platforms can track:
- ● Driver behavior
- ● Fuel usage
- ● Maintenance needs
- ● Live GPS location