Seat Belts on buses

[mccaugm]

When your travelling on a bus do you ever wear the seatbelt provided?

I travel on a bus every day and have noticed that no-one wears seatbelts, I seem to be in the minority. My youngest son puts his belt on as a matter of course, something I am delighted about. Can anyone explain why if you have to wear a seatbelt in a car that you wouldn't on a bus?

On occasions I have seen teachers come on buses to make sure they children are belted in but as soon as the teacher leaves they unclip the belts???

[William]

I never wear mine on the bus don't know why tho never really thought about it.

As for the school kids unclipping them as soon as the teachers leave well there being told to wear them ofcourse they don't want to

[speedo215]

i never have done think it stems back to when there was not seatbeats on buses and it has become a habbit

[maggie]

I have always worn the seatbelt on buses after seeing the painful results of tourists being thrown about when their bus left the road and turned over. None of the injuries were particularly life threatening, but concussion, lacerations and fracture/dislocations plus a couple of days in hospital must have made for a very miserable holiday indeed. None of the poor souls I saw had been wearing seatbelts.
Along the same lines, again because I witnessed the results, I always wear goggles when strimming. This chap lost the sight in one eye, and because infection set in, was close to losing the sight in the other! All could have been avoided if he had worn goggles. Small precautions, enormous savings!

[sweetpea]

I use the bus a lot and have to say I never even think about putting a belt on. I'm a bit confused about the benefits of wearing/not wearing a seat belt.

[Gizmo]

I use the bus a lot and have to say I never even think about putting a belt on. I'm a bit confused about the benefits of wearing/not wearing a seat belt.

Well wearing one might save your life and not wearing one might kill you, i really didn't think it was that difficult to work out :p

[sandy01]

You are legally required to wear the seatbelt, if fitted on a bus, just the same as in a car. You are liable to a substantial fine, if stopped by the police.
WEAR YOUR SEATBELT!!!

[mccaugm]

Wearing a seat belt on a minibus, bus or coach

If you are travelling on a minibus you must wear a seat belt if one is fitted (or a child restraint if available). On a bus or coach, if you are aged 14 or over you must wear a seat belt if fitted. Regulations requiring children aged three to 13 years to use seat belts (or child restraints if available) in buses and coaches will be brought forward as soon as possible.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/AdviceOnKeepingYourVehicle/DG_4022064

[pat]

definitely always wear it and do I get some funny looks but I dont care - seen too many injuries from not wearing a belt.

[Angela]

I always do, since I once forgot to belt up and got thrown against the person across the aisle on quite a gentle bend. :(

The belts are there for our safety - we should use them, the same as in a car, surely?

[mccaugm]

Whilst on the bus home today, my sons seatbelt did not work properly. Mine appeared to be ok.
The boy opposite me was kneeling up to face the back of the bus. Told him to sit down which he did rather guiltily. I then challenged another boy (3rd year in the High School) as to why he wasn't wearing a seatbelt, he said he didn't know. He said that he just never did as the teachers did not come on this bus to check on the pupils travelling. When I said that it was a legal requirement to wear his seatbelt, in the same way as it is to wear it in a car, he just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

[badger]

I always use it, not just to protect me but other passengers. People being thrown around in a bus must cause more damage than if safely kept in their seats. Why don't bus drivers remind people? They do on National Express, or are supposed to but think they tend to forget after a while.

Also you frequently see someone standing by the driver chatting which is also illegal or at least ignoring the warning notice.

[oldmarine]

I always wear seat belts in any transportation I use. I feel safer using them.

[sandy01]

I always use it, not just to protect me but other passengers. People being thrown around in a bus must cause more damage than if safely kept in their seats. Why don't bus drivers remind people? They do on National Express, or are supposed to but think they tend to forget after a while.

Also you frequently see someone standing by the driver chatting which is also illegal or at least ignoring the warning notice.
If the bus has the little stickers, showing a person wearing a seatbelt, then the driver is not required, to tell the passengers to wear their seatbelts.
Anyway why should a driver have to put up with abuse, from drunken/druged children when they tell them they are required by law to wear a seatbelt?

[mccaugm]

I find it ridiculous, when the smoking ban came in on buses,(as well as other public places) people seemed, on the whole, to obey it.
People also in the main automatically put on seatbelts in cars, so why not buses...I just don't understand. Why would you not do something, that could in effect, SAVE YOUR LIFE!!!!....:confused

[Jalna]

They might be annoying to some but I would rather be alive that seriously injured or dead.

[Electric blue]

I always use it, not just to protect me but other passengers. People being thrown around in a bus must cause more damage than if safely kept in their seats. Why don't bus drivers remind people? They do on National Express, or are supposed to but think they tend to forget after a while.

Also you frequently see someone standing by the driver chatting which is also illegal or at least ignoring the warning notice.


Even When drivers do remind passengers that seatbelts are to be worn they have no right to enforce it, also when they ask children to sit down and put belts on they get verbally abused by the childs parents as they are seen to be picking on that child.

[badger]

Even When drivers do remind passengers that seatbelts are to be worn they have no right to enforce it, also when they ask children to sit down and put belts on they get verbally abused by the childs parents as they are seen to be picking on that child.

I'm afraid that's a sign of the times - like parents who abuse teachers for disciplining their children. I wouldn't dream of suggesting they try to enforce it as that would really be asking for trouble but I don't see what harm there is in a reminder which might make a few more people think about it.

Not wearing them is just plain selfish - in an accident you're more likely to injure other people as well as yourself and why should hospitals, families and anyone else involved have to pick up the pieces for something that can so easily be avoided.