BUS Safety Week runs from Monday 20 February to Sunday 26 February to raise awareness on how to stay safe on and around buses.

Preliminary statistics from 2017 to 2021 show 298 people were seriously injured in crashes involving buses or mini buses and 30 people lost their lives.

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37 percent of all bus passengers injured were children aged five to sixteen years.

“Buses play an important role in our community, especially in helping children get to and from school,” said MidCoast Council’s Road Safety Officer, Chris Dimarco.

Parents and carers should always meet children at school or at the bus stop.

Don’t wait on the opposite side of the road.

Hold your child’s hand when walking to and from the bus stop or crossing the road, and wait for the bus to go before crossing.

Teach your child to quickly find a seat on the bus and put on a seatbelt if available.

You can find resources to help teach your children bus safety at https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/downloads/bus-safety-school-students.pdf

With pedestrians accounting for most bus fatalities, it’s important we all adopt some simple habits.

Don’t rush for the bus, obey traffic signals, don’t get distracted, stand back from the kerb and wait until the bus has gone before crossing the road.

Remember buses have blind spots in front, at the back and at the sides.

If you can’t see a bus’s mirrors, the driver can’t see you.

When you’re on a bus, use a seatbelt if there is one, press the stop button well before your stop, and don’t get up until the bus has stopped.

If you are elderly or mobility-impaired, use the front doors and sit close to the driver.

As drivers, we share the road with buses and need to respect certain road rules.

Make sure you give way to buses and slow down to 40kph when bus lights are flashing.

Look out for children on footpaths or crossing the road, especially around schools, buses, bus routes and bus stops.
Give buses plenty of space – remember, they’re large, heavy vehicles and can’t stop quickly.

If you’re cycling or riding a motorbike, be extra careful around bus blind spots and avoid passing a bus when it is turning.

“Bus Safety Week helps us all take a moment to reflect on what we can do to prevent tragic deaths and serious injuries around buses.”

You can find more information about Bus Safety Week at https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/.