Trends in Transit Bus Accidents and Promising Collision Countermeasures

Abstract

This article presents information on bus collisions from the National Transit Database (NTD) and discusses implications of the findings on the design of transit collision warning systems. A total of 2,405 major transit bus collisions were reported in 2002 and 2003 that resulted in more than $15 million in property damage, 145 fatalities, and more than 8,000 injuries. According to the NTD, front and angle transit collisions yielded higher fatality and injury rates and property damage costs compared to rear collisions. Most major bus collisions occurred in benign conditions such as clear weather and on dry roads. Therefore, emphasis should be placed on developing a warning system with the capability of continuously monitoring the bus surroundings and providing timely alerts to transit operators about crash threats in front and on either side of the bus.