Bus Crashworthiness Issues. Highway Special Investigation Report

784323PDFResearch PaperReport No: NTSB/SIR-99/04Bus accidentsCrashworthinessFatalitiesOccupant protection devicesSchool busesTransit busesUnited States. National Transportation Safety BoardUnited States. National Transportation Safety BoardNTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-Bus TransportationAGR-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITYUS Transportation CollectionSchool bus and motorcoach travel are two of the safest forms of transportation in the United States. Each year, on average, nine school bus passengers and four motorcoach passengers are fatally injured in bus crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and motorcoach industry statistics. In comparison, NHTSA statistics show that in 1998 over 41,000 people were fatally injured in highway crashes. Although much has been done to improve the safety of school buses and motorcoaches over the years, the safe transportation of bus passengers, especially students and senior citizens, continues to be a national safety priority. Children and seniors are predicted to be the fastest growing segments of our society, and these groups are the primary users of bus transportation. This special investigation was initiated to determine whether additional measures should be taken to better protect bus occupants. It examines school bus and motorcoach crashworthiness issues through the analysis of 6 school bus and 40 bus accidents