Small Errors By Drivers Can Cost Lives And Substantial Monetary Losses

A bus driver is a highly trained employee. The same applies to most professional drivers, and this case study applies (in terms of risk) across the board to drivers, train or vessel operators, or indeed any driver of a large vehicle.

In broad daylight but on a rainy day a bus was proceeding normally along a bus route in a city. Traffic was fairly light but pedestrian traffic was quite busy. The bus approached a pedestrian crossing where a number of pedestrians crossed routinely against red lights (for pedestrians) when there were gaps in the traffic. The speed limit was 20 mph, and unbeknown to the driver, he was travelling at 22 mph, only just above the speed limit. He had not checked his speed, nor adjusted it to account for the number of pedestrians.