Should long distance travelling buses have seat belts for all its passengers.

muni · 26th November 2006, 10:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by sujaylahiri

I don't see any seat belts in the Greyhound buses in US or Canada. The air suspension of the buses is good enough to absorb all the usual bumps and potholes. And the drivers have to be really skilled.
Sitting with your seat belts on could be extremely uncomfortable in a bus for long journeys.
Although many experts and agencies have strongly recommended using seat belts on these buses.
The Press Republican - Seat belts for buses at issue

I guess in India, given the nature of the roads, the night travels, the impeccable road sense, it is quite a contracts to what is seen in the developed countries.

Also bear in mind that the no of people who use Bus as a mode of transport b/w cities during weekends are really huge in India.

vivekiny2k · 26th November 2006, 10:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by pugram

Maybe Buses should also fly, so that people will accede to the request.

what makes you think that will work. I have seen utter disgusting behaviour of deccan air travellers in mumbai-chennai flight. it's scary when plane is still on the runway at 100 kmph and everybody has unbuckeld seatbelts, opened overhead bins, and huge bags are hanging over your head.

moralfibre · 26th November 2006, 10:59

Only having seat belts wouldn't serve the purpose. How many passengers do you think will actually use them? The front 4 seats of the Volvo has seat belts which are seldom used by passengers.
Think about State Transport buses. These overcrowded buses have passengers who stand their journey out? How do we secure them?

muni · 26th November 2006, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Only having seat belts wouldn't serve the purpose. How many passengers do you think will actually use them? The front 4 seats of the Volvo has seat belts which are seldom used by passengers.
Think about State Transport buses. These overcrowded buses have passengers who stand their journey out? How do we secure them?

I mentioned about the hightech and luxury coaches as i had in mind the overcrowded regular buses. The Govt cannot have it in all buses but atleast the luxury ones( hitech, semi hitech) can have them where there would not be standing passengers.

Lets have the first step of having them. Those who are safety conscious would wear them. Through better safety awareness things would definitely improve.

kkr2k2 · 26th November 2006, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by muni

I mentioned about the hightech and luxury coaches as i had in mind the overcrowded regular buses. The Govt cannot have it in all buses but atleast the luxury ones( hitech, semi hitech) can have them where there would not be standing passengers.

Lets have the first step of having them. Those who are safety conscious would wear them. Through better safety awareness things would definitely improve.

i completely agree with muni, i will be the first one to use the seat belts if they are introduced in the buses too.
great journey start with a first step.

sureshshanmugam · 30th November 2006, 09:35

Yes, Long distance buses should have seat belts as the passengers may tend to sleep while on night long journey and sudden brakings even could cause serious injury by hitting the seat at front.

Rehaan · 9th August 2013, 15:44

Eye opening video for sure.

Start watching at 00:30 onwards.

At 01:00 note that the 2 gentlemen still in their seats are the only ones who seem to be wearing their seat-belts. The bus is now on its side, and they are hanging in their seats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy1CKPHnaAo

cya
R

tazmaan · 9th August 2013, 15:52

Should be compulsory!!! I dont know if its a rule in USA but when I took a bus tour in USA none of the passengers were wearing seat belts nor were we told to buckle up.

OT: I usually keep my seat belt fastened even on flights when I am seated even after the seat belt warning is turned off. I only remove the seat belt when I want to stretch, use washroom or take a walk. I have seen some videos of Air crash investigations on discovery and ever since I keep the belt fastened.

silversteed · 9th August 2013, 16:35

The only bus that had seat belts on all seats was one from ABTX Travels that used to run Bangalore-Chennai. It wasn't a Volvo or Merc or Scania, but an Ashok Leyland 12M based AC Semi-sleeper with a Prakash body. And I did see some of the passengers buckling up, probably to avoid the jolts in the event of a hard-braking or when the bus takes some diversions due to road work.

a4anurag · 14th August 2013, 23:36

Yes it should but awareness is more what is the need of the hour. Both must be going hand-in hand. Just providing the seat belts won't do.

The Volvo 9400 buses have seat belts for the first row of passengers as there is nothing in front of the to hold onto under sudden braking. Many of them and kept buckled and left dangling by the sides and to my knowledge the belt provided is the lap portion (hope you guys get my point. Not getting the technical term for it).

The passengers at the end of the day want a movie to be played and may be a bottle of water with biscuits to be given rather than check for seat belts etc.

Anurag.

PetrolRider · 26th August 2013, 15:18

It is an irony that public transport have least public safety. When Govt can force a 50cc scooty rider to wear ISI standard helmet, which obviously for the safety of the rider only and not for the general public around, why can't seat belts and even airbags be made mandatory for public transport ? (I do encourage use of helmet and spiritedly wear one while on 2 wheeler, my point here in public safety direction, please do not misunderstand my point).

We do have safety rating for cars, but do we have any authority to check the safety for public transport ? We are astonished here for alto having 0 star, but have we ever wondered how much star does our auto rickshaws have.
Yes, I agree we Indians have a lack of interest in safety, but if we wear seat belts in cars and planes and wear helmet on bikes, we will also follow the same if it was enforced on us.
My 2 cents.

aneezan · 26th August 2013, 15:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by silversteed

The only bus that had seat belts on all seats was one from ABTX Travels that used to run Bangalore-Chennai.

Right. It was only ABTX buses that had seat belts. I used to take the Bangalore to Nagercoil and Chennai to Nagercoil routes. Was pleased that at-least one Bus had some safety concern for its passengers. However, later-on, I found these missing. The newer buses didn't have the belts. ABTX must have thought, why the extra cost?

Quote:

Originally Posted by aneezan

Right. It was only ABTX buses that had seat belts. I used to take the Bangalore to Nagercoil and Chennai to Nagercoil routes. Was pleased that at-least one Bus had some safety concern for its passengers. However, later-on, I found these missing. The newer buses didn't have the belts. ABTX must have thought, why the extra cost?

These days, I take the trains, which though I don't say are 100% safe, are a lot better than buses.

mpksuhas · 26th August 2013, 15:34

Even previous (~2006) Volvos used to have seat belts. Used to take Hyderabad - Bangalore / Mysore KSRTC Airavat. The bus used to have seat belt and also they used to play a short video about emergency exits and hammer location for breaking glass and all. However the video disappeared first and later when I traveled did not find seat belts in newer buses also.

View Poll Results: Should long distance travelling buses have seat belts for all its passengers..
Yes it is necessary and can save a lot of lives	42	85.71%
No it is not necessary and we have been safe all this while	4	8.16%
Cant say as I cannot understand the need.	3	6.12%
Voters: 49. You may not vote on this poll

26th November 2006, 10:59	#18
moralfibre Team-BHP Support Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: MH-12 Posts: 8,451 Thanked: 13,973 Times	Only having seat belts wouldn't serve the purpose. How many passengers do you think will actually use them? The front 4 seats of the Volvo has seat belts which are seldom used by passengers. Think about State Transport buses. These overcrowded buses have passengers who stand their journey out? How do we secure them?
	() Thanks

30th November 2006, 09:35	#21
sureshshanmugam BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 79 Thanked: 7 Times View My Garage	Yes, Long distance buses should have seat belts as the passengers may tend to sleep while on night long journey and sudden brakings even could cause serious injury by hitting the seat at front.
	() Thanks

9th August 2013, 15:52	#23
tazmaan BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 926 Thanked: 3,235 Times View My Garage	Re: Should long distance travelling buses have seat belts for all its passengers. Should be compulsory!!! I dont know if its a rule in USA but when I took a bus tour in USA none of the passengers were wearing seat belts nor were we told to buckle up. OT: I usually keep my seat belt fastened even on flights when I am seated even after the seat belt warning is turned off. I only remove the seat belt when I want to stretch, use washroom or take a walk. I have seen some videos of Air crash investigations on discovery and ever since I keep the belt fastened.
	() Thanks

9th August 2013, 16:35	#24
silversteed Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Electri-City Posts: 2,336 Thanked: 2,195 Times	Re: Should long distance travelling buses have seat belts for all its passengers. The only bus that had seat belts on all seats was one from ABTX Travels that used to run Bangalore-Chennai. It wasn't a Volvo or Merc or Scania, but an Ashok Leyland 12M based AC Semi-sleeper with a Prakash body. And I did see some of the passengers buckling up, probably to avoid the jolts in the event of a hard-braking or when the bus takes some diversions due to road work.
	(1) Thanks

14th August 2013, 23:36	#25
a4anurag BANNED Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 12,350 Thanked: 21,411 Times	Re: Should long distance travelling buses have seat belts for all its passengers. Yes it should but awareness is more what is the need of the hour. Both must be going hand-in hand. Just providing the seat belts won't do. The Volvo 9400 buses have seat belts for the first row of passengers as there is nothing in front of the to hold onto under sudden braking. Many of them and kept buckled and left dangling by the sides and to my knowledge the belt provided is the lap portion (hope you guys get my point. Not getting the technical term for it). The passengers at the end of the day want a movie to be played and may be a bottle of water with biscuits to be given rather than check for seat belts etc. Anurag.
	() Thanks

26th August 2013, 15:18	#26
PetrolRider BANNED Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: BBSR/Pune Posts: 566 Thanked: 631 Times View My Garage	Re: Should long distance travelling buses have seat belts for all its passengers. It is an irony that public transport have least public safety. When Govt can force a 50cc scooty rider to wear ISI standard helmet, which obviously for the safety of the rider only and not for the general public around, why can't seat belts and even airbags be made mandatory for public transport ? (I do encourage use of helmet and spiritedly wear one while on 2 wheeler, my point here in public safety direction, please do not misunderstand my point). We do have safety rating for cars, but do we have any authority to check the safety for public transport ? We are astonished here for alto having 0 star, but have we ever wondered how much star does our auto rickshaws have. Yes, I agree we Indians have a lack of interest in safety, but if we wear seat belts in cars and planes and wear helmet on bikes, we will also follow the same if it was enforced on us. My 2 cents.
	() Thanks

26th August 2013, 15:34	#28
mpksuhas Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: KA03/KL11 Posts: 3,936 Thanked: 7,342 Times View My Garage	Re: Should long distance travelling buses have seat belts for all its passengers. Even previous (~2006) Volvos used to have seat belts. Used to take Hyderabad - Bangalore / Mysore KSRTC Airavat. The bus used to have seat belt and also they used to play a short video about emergency exits and hammer location for breaking glass and all. However the video disappeared first and later when I traveled did not find seat belts in newer buses also.
	() Thanks