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New ADR introduced to regulate bus seatbelt wearing

BREAKING: The federal government has today unveiled a new ADR that will require new seatbelt wearing monitoring technology to be fitted to Australian buses and coaches

The federal government has today announced a new Australian Design Rule (ADR) that will require buses and coaches to feature seatbelt wearing monitoring technology.

The new ADR is the first official change made in response to the horrific Hunter Valley bus crash in June 2023 that demonstrated the impact fatal road crashes can have on families and the wider community.

Following calls for improved safety in the industry, the new requirements launched today at Kangaroo Bus Lines’ depot in Queensland will force all buses and coaches to include seatbelt monitoring technology.

The new ADR – 68/01 – Occupant Protection in Buses, requires visual and audio alerts to be fitted that encourages usage where three-point seatbelts are already fitted, removing a loophole that allowed some coaches to not be fitted with seatbelts.

From November 1, 2026, all new models of buses and coaches in Australia must be fitted with this technology that acts similarly to those in airplanes, while from November 1, 2027, all new existing model buses and coaches will be required to have the technology installed.

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“Our industry applauds the government’s commitment to bus operators, the public and bus safety on delivering the first in a series of outcomes to further improve bus safety for the millions of loved ones we carry every day,” Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) chair Tony Hopkins says.

“These safety outcomes further improve what is generally regarded as the most stringent seatbelt rules for buses in the world.

“With seatbelt usage currently as low as seven per cent on some services, this provides a simple but powerful message, that reminds bus passengers to fasten a seatbelt.

“After all, if a seatbelt is provided in a bus, it must be worn by law.”

BIC chair Tony Hopkins. Image: BIC

While current data shows bus and coach travel remains one of the safest forms of transport, their size and passenger capacity can result in a greater number of fatalities and serious injuries in the event of an incident.

This new ADR is an outcome of the ongoing commitment to bus safety and co-operation with industry and states and territories by the federal government. These new requirements are set to take the next step toward prompting passengers to protect themselves when travelling by bus and coach.

This new ADR is in addition to other design changes introduced by the federal government, including mandating of lane departure warning systems for heavy vehicles.

Further information on changes to the Australian Design Rules, including ADR 68/01 can be found here.

“The pain caused by the devastating bus crash in the Hunter Valley continues to be felt by the families and wider community 18 months after the incident,” federal assistant regional development manager Anthony Chisholm says.

“Nothing is more important than ensuring people get home safely each time they travel on our roads, that’s why our government is doing what it can to prevent a similar tragedy from occurring again.

“That’s why we’re working with states, territories, industry and affected family members to identify and amend design rules to ensure people are kept safe by their seatbelts should the worst happen.

“Travelling by bus is one of the safest forms of transport in Australia, and these new audible and visual signage requirements will ensure this continues to be the case.

“These changes won’t just improve safety for new buses manufactured after November 2026, they’ll also set the industry benchmark standard for safety, which can be used to improve the safety standards applied for all existing buses.”

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