National Road Safety Week 2020 is November 15 to 22. As part of the initiative, started by the SARAH Group, we reminded road users to be vigilant when behind the wheel, especially around large vehicles like buses.

Busways drivers took the Pledge to ‘drive so others survive’. With over 1300 bus drivers, Busways was on board with the national campaign as an opportunity to remind all drivers and other road users of the influence they have on our roads.

“Safety is always top priority for our workforce. While we hold responsibility ourselves, its important other road users remember that buses are large heavy vehicles that can’t stop quickly. All road users, pedestrians and passengers have a part to play when it comes to road safety,” Busways Managing Director Byron Rowe said.

“When incidents occur, the mental and physical toll it can have on bus drivers and the public can be colossal, depending on the severity of the incident. Education campaigns and programs such as National Road Safety Week and Busways’ Driver Training Program are core to building our safety culture. The reality is that many road safety incidents are preventable if people pay attention on the road and respect road rules around heavy vehicles.” Mr Rowe added.

In the five years from 2015 to 2019, 34 people were killed and 295 seriously injured in heavy bus crashes across NSW.

Of the 34 people killed 13 were pedestrians, our most vulnerable road users. Eleven were drivers, six were passengers, three were motorcyclists and one was a pedal cyclist.

Most fatalities and serious injuries occurred in metropolitan areas where pedestrians make up nearly half of all lives lost in heavy bus crashes.

National Road Safety Week is an annual initiative highlighting the impact of road trauma and ways to reduce it. People can take the pledge ‘drive so others survive’ with daily themes reinforcing various important messages about safe driving.

“By participating in this important campaign, we’re encouraging our drivers to take the pledge and drive so others survive,“ Mr Rowe said.

“The National Road Safety Week message is simple: slow down, look out for others, make safe decisions so no one is injured or killed. This includes being safe around buses and not cutting in front of them as they are heavy vehicles that can’t stop quickly. Motorists should also be aware of the flashing lights on the back of the bus, they alert them to when children might be crossing the road or when the bus is looking to pull away from the kerb,” Mr Rowe added.

Top tips for being safe around buses

• Leave a safe distance – motorists should leave a safe distance between them and the bus. Buses take longer to stop so by cutting in front of it, the motorist minimises the distance between them and the bus.
• Don’t sit in the buses’ blind spot where they might not see you. Typical blind spots include along the entire passenger side of the vehicle; directly behind the vehicle; at the front of the vehicle; and beside the driver’s door. All road users including cyclists, motorbike riders and pedestrians are reminded to be mindful of this.
• Give buses plenty of room to move – buses need room to turn corners or navigate other obstacles like roundabouts so do not overtake a turning vehicle.
• Remember to slow down to 40km/h when bus lights flash – flashing lights warn motorists that school children may be crossing the road or when they’re trying to pull away from the kerb.
• Motorists should always give way to a bus where possible.

The daily themes for National Road Safety Week are: