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The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is supporting this year’s Bus Safety Week, led by Transport for NSW (TfNSW).
The campaign, which runs from 19 to 25 February, aims to raise awareness on how to improve safety on and around buses.
NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto OAM the regulator was committed to working alongside TfNSW to educate all road users and make bus safety a priority.
“Sadly, since 2018 there have been 48 fatalities from bus crashes in NSW, with an additional 252 people also seriously injured in crashes involving buses,” Mr Petroccitto said.
“NSW has one of the largest bus fleets in Australia, with almost 4,000 buses operating in Sydney, another 1,000 servicing the Newcastle, Wollongong and Blue Mountains areas, and 3,000 in rural and regional NSW.
“Buses - like all heavy vehicles - cannot stop as quickly as light vehicles.
“With so many buses operating and providing important services on roads across NSW, it’s critical for all road users to understand the road rules and drive safely around them.”
General advice for driving around buses includes:
- Maintaining a safe stopping distance between your vehicle and a bus in front (a three second gap is best),
- Ensuring you leave sufficient distance to allow a bus to stop before changing lanes - avoid merging too closely or cutting in front of a bus,
- Looking out for children on footpaths or crossing the road, especially around schools, buses, bus routes and bus stops,
- Leaving plenty of space when you’re driving or stopped around buses,
- Being aware of blind spots at the front, back and sides of a bus,
- Giving way to buses when they are merging into traffic, and
- Not overtaking turning buses.
To learn more about Bus Safety Week, visit TfNSW Be Bus Aware.
To learn more about sharing the road with buses and heavy vehicles, visit We All Need Space.