Passenger safety

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain who must wear a seat belt on a bus where one is fitted.
• You can describe how passengers must be told about seat belts.
• You can state the speed limit for buses designed to carry standing passengers.
• You can check emergency exits and equipment before a journey.
• You can drive in a way that protects standing and moving passengers.

What you need to know and understand

• On a bus seat fitted with a seat belt, every adult and every child aged 3 or over must wear a belt or a suitable child restraint.
• A passenger aged 14 or over who does not wear an available belt commits an offence.
• The bus owner must make sure passengers are told about the belts, by an announcement, a video, or a sign or pictogram at each belted seat.
• The driver of a large public service vehicle does not have to carry a passenger who refuses to wear a belt without good reason.
• Buses designed or adapted to carry standing passengers have a 65 km/h limit on every road, motorways included.
• It is an offence to drive a bus with a broken emergency exit door.

Seat belts on buses and coaches

Many coaches and school buses now have belts. Where a seat has one, the law treats it like a car: passengers aged 3 and over must use it. Passengers aged 14 and over are personally responsible for wearing theirs.

The owner must alert passengers to the belts. That can be a spoken announcement by the driver, conductor or group leader, an on-board video, or a sign or the official pictogram at every belted seat. On a school or group trip, a quick announcement before you move off is a simple way to cover this.

For how children should travel in cars, see the site article on seat belts and child car seats in Ireland.

Standing passengers and smooth driving

City buses built for standees are limited to 65 km/h on any road. Standing passengers have nothing to stop them falling, so every input you make is felt by them.

• Wait until passengers are seated or holding on before moving off where you can.
• Brake early and progressively; avoid late, harsh stops.
• Take corners and roundabouts slowly to reduce sideways force.
• Use your interior mirror to check the saloon before pulling away.
• Follow the bus's signs and the operator's rules on where passengers may stand, and ask people to move if they are in an unsafe spot.

Exits and equipment: the daily check

1. Open and close every passenger door and check the safety edges and warnings work.
2. Check emergency exits, hammers and roof hatches are present, marked and not blocked by luggage or buggies.
3. Check that the safety equipment your operator provides, such as a fire extinguisher or first aid kit, is in place and in date.
4. Check seats, belts and handrails are secure and undamaged.
5. Report any defect before the bus goes into service. Do not drive with a faulty emergency exit.

Common mistakes

• Pulling away while passengers are still walking to seats. Check the saloon mirror first.
• Letting luggage or buggies block an aisle or exit. Keep escape routes clear at all times.
• Assuming seat belts only matter in cars. On a bus seat with a belt, passengers aged 3 and over must wear one.
• Driving a standee bus above 65 km/h on a motorway. That limit applies on every road.
• Skipping the exit check because the bus passed its CVRT. Defects can appear any day.

Test yourself: Passenger safety

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Seat Belts and Child Car Seats in Ireland