Buses are not safe for drivers
Buses are safe for passengers, but not necessarily for the person behind the wheel. A report from the Institute of Transport Economics (TØI) shows that it is often the bus driver who is killed or seriously injured when a bus is hit head-on.
96 bus drivers killed or seriously injured annually
The report from the Institute of Transport Economics (TØI) confirms what bus drivers have felt for a long time: when a bus is involved in a serious head-on collision, it is often the driver who is hit the hardest. Buses are among the safest forms of transport for passengers, but the person sitting at the front is still poorly protected.
TØI shows that approximately two out of three bus drivers killed or seriously injured in Europe were involved in accidents where the point of impact was at the front of the bus. Researchers estimate that this corresponds to around 96 bus drivers killed or seriously injured each year who could have survived or sustained less severe injuries with better crash protection.
In Norway, several drivers have also lost their lives in serious bus accidents, including collisions at relatively low speeds.
The Norwegian Transport Workers’ Union believes the findings show that bus drivers’ safety is still not adequately safeguarded.
“This is not a new problem. It is a problem that still has not been solved. Every day, bus drivers go to work in vehicles where the front still does not provide sufficient protection if an accident occurs. When the bus is hit head-on, it is far too often the driver who pays the highest price,” says union leader Trude Sande of the Norwegian Transport Workers’ Union.
The report is based on analyses of bus accidents in 32 European countries, multivariate analyses of accident data, and in-depth studies of fatal bus accidents in Norway.
Bus drivers are not protected
TØI points out that bus drivers are largely not protected against serious injuries in accidents where the impact is at the front. In analyses of fatal bus accidents in Norway, the most common injury mechanisms for bus drivers who were killed or seriously injured were low crashworthiness, insufficient structural safety, and critical points of impact.
The in-depth studies describe a recurring problem: modern buses have the driver’s seat positioned at the very front, with limited space and without effective structures to absorb and distribute collision energy. In several of the accidents, the reports indicate that there was no real survival space for the driver. In all head-on collisions where insufficient structural safety contributed to the driver being killed or seriously injured, the point of impact was at the front left corner of the bus.
“The bus driver is responsible for the safety of many people every single day. That means we cannot be satisfied with the fact that the driver is still sitting so exposed in the most vulnerable part of the bus. It is good that the issue has received more attention, but current solutions are not sufficient,” says Sande.
More than half of bus drivers are afraid
The Norwegian Transport Workers’ Union has previously documented significant concern among drivers. In the union’s own safety survey, more than half responded that they do not believe sufficient safety measures against collisions have been implemented. Among bus drivers, the proportion was even higher.
The union emphasizes that it has been important to bring attention to the issue, and that it is positive that steps have been taken. At the same time, they believe the work must continue, because drivers are still too poorly protected when serious head-on accidents occur.
“We see that there is willingness to improve safety, and that is important. But it is going too slowly, and current solutions do not make the driver’s seat safe enough. There is still a need for better crumple zones, stronger structures, and a real survival space for the person behind the wheel,” says Sande.
The union believes this is about something very fundamental: no one should risk their life simply by going to work as a bus driver.
“Passengers should arrive safely. So should the driver,” says Sande.
About the report
TØI Report 2111/2025, Bus Accidents in Europe: Factors Influencing Injury Severity and Risk, shows that bus drivers are particularly vulnerable in head-on collisions, and that better crash protection could reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries.