Govts, an Important Role for Bus Safety Operation
12 May 2009
When it comes to bus safety operation, governments of various levels usually can play a very active role by rolling out technical standards for safety operation and closely monitoring the implementation of some related regulations.
At Asian Coach Week-BAAV 2009 Awards recently held in Shanghai, Ph.D. Patrick BOTTO, a French accidentologist gave a clear view of the effects of certain safety measures on buses during a safety seminar. Dr. Patrick Botto is a world renowned accident expert and medical doctor, who has served the French industry and government in bus accident research for 30 years. Through the expert’s view, China’s bus & coach builders has now gained a deeper understanding of the essence of safe operation of buses.
Buses and coaches are the widely used transport tools in modern society. According the statistics released by International Road Transport Union (IRU) and International Union of Public Transport (UITP), the number of casualties in every one million kilometers’ travel distance caused by bus & coach stand at 45, the lowest among other transport tools, railway (65), passenger car (125) and aeroplane (175).
To maintain safe operation of buses & coaches, governments participation in making and promulgating the safe operation standards of bus & coach is very important. By referring to the safety measures targeting at the special transport tool in Europe, China’s bus & coach adopted ECER36 standards in 1997. Currently, a series of measures are in force, including Safety Standards on Light-duty Bus Structure, Standards on Bus Seats and Strength of Fasteners, Safety Standards on Double-deck Coach. The new version of Safety Standards on Bus Structure (GB13094-2007) is almost the same as EU’s Buses and Coaches Directives (2001/85/EC). To date, the bus safety standards in China have been brought in line with those of Europe.
In recent years, an increasing number of China’s bus & coach builders have passed roll over tests. During his first trip to China, Dr. Patrick Botto was surprised to find out some buses & coaches made in China can live up to European standards.
To avoid the situation in which safe operation becomes just an empty slogan, government should take people, vehicles and roads, three elements of road transport into thorough consideration so as to ensure the safety of every passengers on the road.
Source : english.chinabuses.com
Editor : Mark
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