Hawkesbury City Council and Transport for NSW (TfNSW) are reminding all road users to be bus aware ahead of the seventh annual Bus Safety Week in New South Wales.
The council says when a bus and car apply brakes simultaneously while travelling 80km/h, it takes buses a further 30 metres than a car to completely stop.
The council says between 2016 and 2020, 37 people passed away while 352 were seriously injured in crashes involving buses in NSW. A further three people passed away in 2021 in bus crashes.
Hawkesbury City Council says during that period, rear-end collisions accounted for nearly one-third of casualties from bus crashes in regional NSW. In metro areas, more than 50 per cent of fatalities and serious injuries occurred at intersections.
The council says road users should give way to merging buses and to be aware that buses have larger blind spots than other vehicles.
“Remember to slow down to 40km/h when school bus lights flash and keep an eye out for children. They are still developing their road sense,” Hawkesbury City Council says.
“If you are walking to a bus stop, plan ahead and don’t rush for the bus. After alighting, always wait until the bus has gone and find a safe place to cross.”