seat belts

[BensGrandad]

On the bus to Brighton yesterday the driver had to brake sharply throwing a number of people forward suddenly. This made me wonder why it is not law that buses are fitted with seat belts with optional use, especially where children are concerned.

 

[narly101]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=why+don't+buses+have+seatbelts?

 

[dougdeep]

Because idiots would cut them or burn holes in them.

 

[BensGrandad]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=why+don't+buses+have+seatbelts?

I am obviously not an expert but I cannot agree with the idea of belts reducing the number of passengers that can be carried and even if that is correct how many buses except in city centre ever get full to capacity. The vast majority of passengers I see are travelling on free bus passes so what difference woukd it make. That article dealt mainly with school buses not general public buses in use 24/7.

 

[John Bumlick]

Blimey. I can't wait until I'm really old. It appears life will be fascinating....

 

[BensGrandad]

Blimey. I can't wait until I'm really old. It appears life will be fascinating....

This is an issue that affects all ages but I would think mainly the young.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

My 11 year old asked me exactly the same thing this morning - if coaches and cars have to have them, then why not the seats on buses? Valid question imo....

 

[beorhthelm]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=why+don't+buses+have+seatbelts?

well dont for not only not answering, but directing to a bunch of links that dont answer it either.

its an odd one because iirc you are required to have seatbelts in a minibus, its only when you get to full length buses that its deemed unnecessary.

 

[lost in london]

Isn't it something to do with them being larger vehicles and the need to be able to speed up evacuation after a crash / fire? On school buses I think that might be the case - kids might not be able to undo the seat belts, and there may be too many kids for the driver to help in time.

Note: that could be complete nonsense. Half remembering something I heard a while back.

 

[lost in london]

Looks like your answer is here:

http://publictransport.about.com/od/Transit_Safety/a/Why-Don-T-Buses-Have-Seatbelts.htm

 

[beorhthelm]

Looks like your answer is here:

http://publictransport.about.com/od/Transit_Safety/a/Why-Don-T-Buses-Have-Seatbelts.htm

if you're american.

 

[Gazwag]

what next trains, bicycles, escalators any number of things can be dangerous if they stop without warning

 

[coagulantwolf]

I always thought it was because people frequently get off and on buses etc, that no one would really bother.

 

[Baldseagull]

I always thought it was because people frequently get off and on buses etc, that no one would really bother.

This, delivery drivers and taxi drivers are excused as well for similar reasons.

 

[The Oldman]

Brighton & Hove buses have at least one double decker with seat belts. I did notice that on another the belts had been removed.

 

[Diego Napier]

On the bus to Brighton yesterday the driver had to brake sharply throwing a number of people forward suddenly. This made me wonder why it is not law that buses are fitted with seat belts with optional use, especially where children are concerned.

Presumably because thousands of people are injured or killed in car accidents but a much smaller number are injured in bus accidents.

 

[lost in london]

if you're american.

Same general principles probably apply though surely? The main ones being the cost of installing seat belts combined with the fact no-one would bother putting them on hardly incentivises bus / coach operators, and the fact that buses are bigger than most vehicles and much more likely to come off ok in a crash.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

In defence of the OP, I have wondered this myself.

 

[skipper734]

Try the Park and Ride buses, especially the Racehill. They are especially good fun ( think Thorpe Park) for evening matches.

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Not used a bus for a decade, thankfully