This past Monday the Department of Transportation announced a plan to improve motorcoach safety through a variety of measures. Included in the plan are efforts to address issues such as driver fatigue and inattention, vehicle rollover, occupant ejections and oversight of unsafe carriers.
The industry is a relatively safe industry carrying a total of 750 million people annually yet only suffering 19 occupant fatalities annually. In spite of this, the DOT is considering making motorcoach seat belts mandatory, along with requiring enhanced roof strength, fire safety, and emergency egress. This number does not include pedestrian deaths nor does it include deaths suffered by occupants of other vehicles involved in collisions with motorcoaches, which the reduction of which is another goal of the program.
Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood directed the DOT's agencies to "take a fresh look at motorcoach safety issues, identify actions to address outstanding safety problems, and develop an aggressive schedule to implement those actions." The plan will attempt to identify and increase oversight over high-risk drivers and implement new technologies. A specific goal of the plan is to prohibit texting and limit use of cell phones. Electronic recording devices are being discussed as a means of monitoring driver fatigue.
Press release available here.
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