Some Minibus Safety Tips from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

A Minibus being a large multi-passenger vehicle need to be driven with extreme caution. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have put together an extremely informative booklet to assist those who drive Minibuses.

 The full guide can be found at the following web address: http://www.rospa.com/road-safety/advice/drivers/bus-coach-minibus-drivers/

 A summary of some of the information relating to the management of drivers is below:

 Almost all road accidents are caused by, or involve Human error some of the most common causes are below:

 

  • Being Distracted
  • Failure to give way
  • Failure to look properly
  • Loss of control of the vehicle
  • Careless, thoughtless, reckless driving
  • Poor turn or manoeuvre
  • Lack of judgement
  • Inappropriate speed

 

Operators should ensure that every minibus driver:

 

  • Has the appropriate driving licence to drive the vehicle
  • Understands their responsibilities
  • Undergoes initial and periodic assessments of ability to drive a minibus, especially if they do not drive a minibus regularly or they are driving one after a long period of not doing so.
  • Receives Practical driver training in a minibus, as necessary, under the conditions in which they are likely to drive the minibus.
  • Has a clean driving licence (at the discretion of the Operator)
  • Medically fit to drive the minibus
  • Ensures they are well rested before driving and takes regular rest breaks
  • Is accompanied by a second driver, who is fully qualified to drive the vehicle
  • Always carries their driving licence.
  • Undergoes assessment if they are involved in a blameworthy Accident.

 It is also recommended that Operators set a minimum standard for their drivers and ensure that all drivers fall within that criteria.

 Operators who take an active role in training and managing drivers using their vehicles reduce the number of incidents their vehicles are involved in and therefore reduce the ongoing cost of Minibus Insurance.