Literature review of active and passive measures to improve bus safety

A main conclusion of our literature review is that bus/coach is the safest mode of transport for the occupants of road vehicles in OECD countries. The risk of being killed or seriously injured is seven to nine times lower for bus and coach occupants as compared to the risk of car occupants. Another main conclusion of the present study is that bus drivers are insufficiently protected in accidents with frontal impact. This is largely related to the fact that there are no mandatory European collision safety regulations for bus drivers. We discuss this paradox; that the bus driver is insufficiently protected in bus transport, which is the safest mode of road transport. We also conclude that bus drivers’ vulnerability in collisions with frontal impact, even at low speeds, is in contrast with the principles of current road safety policies, as described in Vision Zero and Safe System.