Road Transport - Route Risk Assessment

Driver training and route risk identification is a major problem for any public transport operator. Arriva, the major UK bus operator, recently won a national road safety award for its innovative use of low-level aerial photography provided by Aerial Close-up Ltd. The images are accompanied by an informative text to give clear guidance to drivers at known accident blackspots along some of its highest accident rate routes.

Each route manual relies on low-level aerial photography with particular emphasis on road markings and hazard identification. It has been designed specifically to give a different perspective to the normal view from the driver’s cab. The text is written by a panel of expert driving instructors and examiners from Arriva and provides observations and hints to safely negotiate the worst accident blackspots along the route.

The manuals have already been a major contributor to accident rate reduction on those routes where they have been introduced. Furthermore, they have been welcomed by even the most experienced drivers as being both an invaluable training aid and equally a specific risk assessment of the route.

The narrative and image that follows is an actual example of just one of the many hazards highlighted within the route manuals:

“Most of the incidents that occur here are collisions usually when the bus hits the side or rear of a car. We have also seen a few passenger falls. The focal point is the bus stop in the bottom left hand corner of the picture. The bus has to exit the stop and move across three lanes of traffic into the lane marked “Local Traffic”, the road runs out very quickly and there is little time to complete the manoeuvre. Car drivers have several lanes to play with and will change lanes at the last moment. Best advice is to give an arm signal when leaving the stop and when crossing the carriageway, car drivers will appreciate the signal and the manoeuvre will be more visible. Try to look for the gap not the cars and don’t be in a hurry to get away from the stop, safety of your passengers is priority. The road is wide so do a blind spot check remembering that car drivers change lane very quickly. Passenger falls occasionally occur here under heavy braking so ensure that elderly or infirm passengers are seated before moving away.”