What is the safest place to sit in a bus?

The safest seat in a school bus is generally in the middle, in an aisle seat on the right hand side, between the tires.  It’s safer if there's a head-on, side and rear-end collision.  It is also less bumpy and jarring to the body.  

In addition, studies show that children are often injured approaching or leaving the bus.  Here are some safety tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

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We shall talk about the average city bus.

Average bus -> ~13000kg. I checked multiple sources, not only the one given. Passengers' weight is neglected considering the strong rounding on the bus weight either way.

Let's consider multiple probable cases.

1. Bus crashes into something stationary in front of it. Bus probably tried to stop beforehand.
2. Bus crashes into something moving. E.g. A car that suddenly came from left/right.
3. A light car crashes into the bus from left/right. In the front part of the bus.
4. A light car crashes into the stationary bus from behind.

From multiple searches I might put the average car weight to ~2000kg

• I believe the bus speed doesn't really matter for the sake of the question, since it doesn't change the safest spot. But I might be wrong, so let's consider speeds of 60km/h in town and 110km/h on a high road. Or whatever speed you find to be relevant.

• Nobody wears seatbelts.

• The people in the bus are average weight. Let's say 70kg (~55kg for women, ~82kg for men)
• By "safest" I consider the situation where a human sitting in specific place hits his head on the seat in front of him mugh/slightly lighter than the man sitting in the most dangerous place.

Also would be nice to have a statictics about bus crashes, which crashes happen more often etc. I shall add it later on.

I understand that the question might be a bit out of the scope of the physics SE. Let's just make sure that those of the human species who care about little things, feel safer on the public transport.

[Request] What is the safest place to sit in buses and other forms of public transportation? from theydidthemath

When you get on the bus, you want to have a safe ride. Although according to statistics, accidents involving buses are rare, everybody would like to have an additional safety net. Therefore, we try to buy tickets for places they think are safe. Let's see whether this makes sense?

The bus is considered to be one of the safest vehicles. It is not afraid of collisions with cars due to its size and weight. The danger to the bus is mainly heavy trucks. Accidents rarely occur with city buses, as their speed of movement around the city is low.

Dangerous places

Several types of the most dangerous places can be noted, depending on the case and the traffic situation.

-Seats in the first and second row. They are dangerous only in a head-on collision.

-Place near the driver.

This is the most dangerous place not only in a head-on collision, but also in case of an unexpected hit of a stone in the glass. In addition, with the likelihood of an impact, the driver intuitively avoids a collision, which falls on the passenger next to him.

-Seats in third to fourth rows located at the end of the cabin.

These places may be hit from behind. In addition, in the rear seats shakes more.

-Places near the windows.

Most people prefer to sit by the window to enjoy the beautiful views. But a side impact falls precisely on these places. And in the event of an accident, passengers sitting on the aisle seats will be able to quickly get to the exit.

So where is the safest place to sit?

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that it is most safe to sit near the aisle in the middle of the bus.

Let us clarify that for a short trip it is better to buy a ticket to a seat located on the driver’s side.

First, as mentioned above, the driver instinctively puts under attack the other side of the bus.

Secondly, in the event of a rollover, the bus will pull over and fall on its right side. In this case, passengers on the opposite side of the driver will be more difficult to get out.

During long-distance routes it’s safer to sit on the opposite side from the driver, since the most common cause of accidents is driver fatigue and falling asleep at the wheel. In this situation, passengers sitting behind the driver are risking to be in the way of oncoming cars.

Those who are in the middle of the bus have one more advantage - when swinging the bus from impact, in the middle part the amplitude will be the smallest. This means that it is much easier for a passenger in the middle of the cabin to stay in the seat and not fly out of it.

The location of the place to the door is also important, so that in an accident you can get out faster. Therefore, the presence of a third door in the center of a huge tourist liner is an undoubted advantage of the model.

The best thing you can do to safely get on the bus is to fasten your seatbelts. This method allows you not to fly out of the chair in the event of a strong blow or a sudden stop.

In city buses, seat belts are not provided, so it is better to choose places with your back to the direction of travel. With a sharp push, the passenger will be pressed against the wall, and he will not fly forward.

Mini-memo in case of accident

In case of an accident, you need to act quickly and clearly. If you see that the bus is driving on the opposite lane or on the side of the road, try to group.

Take the safest pose: bend your head down, stretch your legs and rest them in the chair in front. In this case, do not put your feet under it. Arms bent at the elbows also need to rest against the back of the front seat.

Fortunately, bus accidents are quite rare. Therefore, we hope that this information will remain only in theory. In practice, you will simply enjoy the ride. Have a good trip!

Buses are a common form of transportation. They can range from small, local buses to large, long-distance coaches with multiple levels and various amenities like restrooms or snack bars. No matter which type of bus, there are always seats. And within those seats lie a few secrets that can help you to stay safe and comfortable during your trip.

The first thing to remember is the safest place to sit is usually the back. The front seats are closest to the driver, so if there is an accident or sudden braking, you are more likely to be injured.

But what about when you are sitting in the back? There is a hierarchy of safety, and it starts with the window seat. The side of your body that faces away from the glass will be protected by it during an accident. The next safest place to sit in the aisle seat, as you have an escape route in case of an emergency. And finally, the middle seat is the least safe choice because it leaves you with no protection from the side.

Child safety seats on a bus

There are many different types of buses and each has different safety requirements. For example, a city bus is going to have different safety features than a school bus. The safest seat in a school bus is generally in the middle, in an aisle seat on the right-hand side, between the tires.

Parents often wonder if their child needs to use a car seat on a bus. The answer is that it depends on the type of bus. For example, Greyhound, Megabus, and tour buses have different rules than city buses do.

Generally speaking, though, it is a good idea to use a child safety seat when traveling by bus. Many long-distance buses now have seat belts, and some even have lower latch anchors which can be used with certain types of car seats. If you are planning a long-distance bus journey with your child, be sure to check and see which bus companies offer seat belts or lower latch anchors. Children’s bus seats should be like this:

• Child safety seats should be placed in the middle of the bus
• Child safety seats should be facing the back of the bus
• The distance between child safety seats should be at least 2 feet

Adult safety belts on a bus

There is no one definitive answer to the question of which are the safest seats on a bus School buses do not have seat belts, but there are some exceptions. In general, school buses disperse crash forces differently than other types of vehicles, which is why they don’t usually have seat belts.

However, in 2013, the NSW Government announced that seatbelts would be mandatory on school buses in rural and regional areas within 10 years. This means that eventually, all school buses will likely have seat belts. Adult passengers should use safety belts when riding on a bus, regardless of where they are seated.

On the other hand, seat belts can be used as a weapon in cases of disputes between students. In addition, during emergency situations such as fire or an earthquake, seat belts may become a hindrance and prevent passengers from escaping.

The safest place on a bus is in the middle

The safest place to sit on a bus is in the seat immediately behind the driver’s seat. This is because the driver can see everything that is happening in front of the bus, and if an emergency occurs, he or she will be able to take appropriate action. The best long-distance bus seats are located in the center of the cabin.

This is because it gives passengers more space and makes it easier to get up and walk around. After finding out from the carrier how the seats are located on the bus, try to give preference to seats installed on the right side of the bus. This is because the driver will be able to see you and if necessary, stop the bus in time.

The safest place to sit on a bus is in the seat immediately behind the driver. This is because the driver can see everything that is happening in front of the bus, and if an emergency occurs, he or she will be able to take appropriate action.

The best long-distance buses are fitted with a driver’s cabin. This is because it gives passengers more space and makes it easier to get up and walk around. After finding out from the carrier how the seats are located, choose a seat that is closest to the driver’s cabin. This will make it easier for you to get up and move around if necessary, and also increase your safety in case of an emergency.

Seatbelts save lives in a collision

Despite the fact that seatbelts save lives in a collision, bus drivers will continue to be exempt from monitoring or enforcing their passengers to wear them. This is due to an exemption in the law that allows bus drivers to forgo wearing seatbelts while driving.

Even though school buses will be fitted with adult safety belts, they will still be exempt from monitoring or enforcing passengers to wear seatbelts. This is because the Department for Transport believes that the benefits of wearing a seatbelt while on a bus are outweighed by the risk of children not being able to escape in an emergency.

Seats near the front or back of the bus are more dangerous in a collision

When it comes to safety on a bus, the seats near the front and back are more dangerous in a collision. The safest seat is generally located in the middle of the bus, between the tires. After finding out from the carrier where safe seats are located on a bus, try to give preference to seats on the right side of a passenger compartment (near an aisle).

All buses should have adult safety belts

There are many reasons why adult safety belts should be installed on buses, including to protect the children, to cushion over impacts, or because large and small school buses accumulate impact forces differently. One of these is that seatbelts are not necessary on long-gone models of school buses, while another reason is that they must use them on all passenger cars with a seating capacity of more than 8 passengers in the National Road Safety Strategy published by the Australian Government (Australia) in July 2013.

Which are the safest seats on a bus?

The safest seat on a bus is in the middle (aisle seats), between the two front tires. This is because it is the most protected from potential accidents.

After finding out from the bus carrier how the seats are located on the bus, try to give preference to seats installed near the aisle. This way, you will be able to get up and move around more easily in case of an emergency.

When traveling by bus, the best seats are located in the center of the cabin. This is because they are farthest away from potential hazards such as exits and windows. Additionally, the center seats tend to be more comfortable than those on the sides.

Conclusion

Towards the end of the article, the author provides a conclusion about the safest seats on a bus. It is advised that passengers should sit in the middle rows to have the best chance of surviving in case of an accident.