Bus Drivers: the Victims

Among the general gloom of recent University of Nottingham research into the safety (or otherwise) of occupational driving, came some encouraging news for the passenger transport industry. Relatively encouraging, that is. When taken in the right context.

The study found that largely, accidents involving bus drivers tended to be caused by other road users. In other words, a bus driver is more likely to fall victim. That’s not to say that bus drivers never make errors, of course, but it does substantiate the fact that bus drviers are invariably safe.

Contrast this with the drivers of vans, heavies and company cars. Company car drivers tended to show excessive speeding as a causal factor in crashes, with more observational failures. Drivers of heavies showed factors relating to fatigue and vehicle defects.

The study concluded that van, heavy and company car drivers tended to be more at blame in crashes. They drive higher than average mileage and are subject to specific stressors and motivators. In other words, they have more opportunities to make mistakes.

However, bus drivers seem to be on the receiving end. The study identified the problem as one of exposure in a dangerous environment.