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Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation
Transport Canada
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Fact Sheet
TP2436 E
RS-2004-02E
June 2004 |
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School Bus Collisions 1992-2001 is also available in PDF format (193
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Introduction
This report provides a statistical summary of collisions involving school
buses over the 10-year period from 1992-2001. The report reviews the number of
collisions involving at least one school bus, the number of school buses
involved in collisions, and the resulting fatalities and personal injuries
inside and outside the school bus.
Collision analysis also addresses ages of casualties; type and time of day of
collision; number of incidents by year and point of impact on the school bus;
and the vehicle manoeuvre that preceded the collision.
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Summary Findings
Over the 10-year period, 1992 to 2001:
- A total of 26,039 school buses were involved in 25,806 collisions - 129
fatal collisions, 4,971 personal-injury and 20,706 property-damage
collisions.
- School bus collisions have resulted in 145 fatalities and 9,359 injuries -
an average of 14.5 fatalities and 936 injuries per year.
- Of the 145 total fatalities, six were school bus occupants (less than 19
years old) - an average of one (0.6) death per year. Three of these six
fatalities occurred in 1994, one in 1999, and two in 2000.
- The 5,100 casualty-producing collisions (i.e. fatal and injury-producing)
involving at least one school bus represent approximately 0.3 percent of the
1,609,927 casualty-producing collisions involving all vehicle types.
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Detailed Findings
All casualties of school bus collisions are presented in Table
1, with a
breakdown by occupants of school buses (drivers and passengers), occupants
of other vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. This is the only table in
this report to include the occupants of other vehicles involved in
collisions with school buses.
From 1992 to 2001, school buses were involved in 25,806 collisions: 129
fatal collisions, 4,971 personal-injury and 20,706 property-damage collisions. The 25,806
collisions involved 26,039 school buses: 130 were involved in fatal
collisions, 5,037 in personal-injury, and 20,872 in property-damage
collisions.
In the 129 fatal collisions involving 130 school buses, there were 145
fatalities (an average of 14.5 per year). Of the 145 fatalities, seven (5
percent) were school bus occupants (6 passengers and 1 driver); 38 (26
percent) were pedestrians; eight (6 percent) were bicyclists; and 92
(63 percent) were occupants of other vehicles involved in collisions with
school buses.
Over the 10-year period, 5,037 school buses were involved in 4,971
personal-injury collisions, resulting in 9,359 personal injuries (an average
of 936 per year). Of the 9,359 injuries, 4,336 (46 percent) were school bus occupants; 534 (6 percent) were
pedestrians; 197 (2 percent) were bicyclists; and 4,292 (46 percent) were
occupants of other vehicles. Injuries1 varied from minimal (where no
treatment was required for minor abrasions and bruises) to major (where the
victim was admitted to hospital for treatment or observation).
Table 1
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All Casualties in School Bus Collisions, 1992-2001
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|
Year |
Occupants of School Buses |
Occupants of Other Vehicles |
Pedestrians |
Bicyclists |
Total Casualties |
Drivers |
Passengers |
Total |
Killed |
Injured |
Killed |
Injured |
Killed |
Injured |
Killed |
Injured |
Killed |
Injured |
Killed |
Injured |
Killed |
Injured |
1992 |
0 |
109 |
0 |
329 |
0 |
438 |
12 |
465 |
8 |
66 |
2 |
25 |
22 |
994 |
1993 |
0 |
88 |
0 |
309 |
0 |
397 |
9 |
439 |
2 |
62 |
1 |
27 |
12 |
925 |
1994 |
0 |
102 |
3 |
444 |
3 |
546 |
16 |
473 |
1 |
56 |
1 |
19 |
21 |
1,094 |
1995 |
0 |
108 |
0 |
384 |
0 |
492 |
10 |
472 |
2 |
69 |
1 |
18 |
13 |
1,051 |
1996 |
0 |
95 |
0 |
312 |
0 |
407 |
6 |
401 |
7 |
41 |
0 |
19 |
13 |
868 |
1997 |
0 |
87 |
0 |
299 |
0 |
386 |
8 |
450 |
2 |
44 |
1 |
22 |
11 |
902 |
1998 |
1 |
80 |
0 |
262 |
1 |
342 |
6 |
361 |
3 |
54 |
1 |
25 |
11 |
782 |
1999 |
0 |
89 |
1 |
297 |
1 |
386 |
7 |
387 |
5 |
55 |
0 |
13 |
13 |
841 |
2000 |
0 |
107 |
2 |
381 |
2 |
488 |
8 |
479 |
5 |
44 |
1 |
14 |
16 |
1,025 |
2001 |
0 |
102 |
0 |
352 |
0 |
454 |
10 |
365 |
3 |
43 |
0 |
15 |
13 |
877 |
Total |
1 |
967 |
6 |
3,369 |
7 |
4,336 |
92 |
4,292 |
38 |
534 |
8 |
197 |
145 |
9,359 |
Table 2 presents 10-year totals of school bus occupant, pedestrian and
bicyclist fatalities and injuries by age. Most school bus occupants killed
were 11 years of age, while the majority of occupants injured
were between 5 and 17 years of age.
Table 2
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School Bus Occupant, Pedestrian and Bicyclist Casualties
by Age, 1992-2001
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|
Age |
School Bus Occupants |
Pedestrians |
Bicyclists |
Total |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
1 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
0 |
15 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
21 |
4 |
0 |
39 |
3 |
9 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
49 |
5 |
0 |
106 |
5 |
24 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
132 |
6 |
0 |
117 |
6 |
31 |
1 |
9 |
7 |
157 |
7 |
0 |
175 |
4 |
33 |
0 |
8 |
4 |
216 |
8 |
0 |
187 |
1 |
24 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
218 |
9 |
0 |
207 |
2 |
22 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
233 |
10 |
0 |
260 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
288 |
11 |
3 |
293 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
318 |
12 |
1 |
311 |
1 |
31 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
350 |
13 |
0 |
297 |
1 |
36 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
342 |
14 |
0 |
215 |
0 |
22 |
0 |
14 |
0 |
251 |
15 |
0 |
203 |
0 |
23 |
1 |
7 |
1 |
233 |
16 |
0 |
190 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
203 |
17 |
1 |
137 |
1 |
14 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
158 |
18 |
1 |
58 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
72 |
19+ |
1 |
1,206 |
12 |
185 |
5 |
70 |
18 |
1,461 |
Unknown |
0 |
310 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
22 |
0 |
350 |
Total |
7 |
4,336 |
38 |
534 |
8 |
197 |
53 |
5,067 |
School-age casualties can be determined from the above table; however,
Table 3 is the only one in this report that focuses solely on school-age
casualties (less than 19 years of age). The other tables include
casualties of all ages.
Over the 10-year period, six school bus occupants less than 19 years
old were fatally injured - an average of one (0.6) school bus occupant
fatality per year. Of the school-age occupant fatalities, three were
fatally injured in 1994, one in 1999 and two in 2000.
From 1992 to 2001, 26 school-age pedestrians died in school bus
collisions and 331 were injured. Almost 70 percent of all school-age
pedestrian fatalities in school bus collisions were between the ages of 4
and 7. Approximately 85 percent of all school-age pedestrians injured were
between the ages of 5 and 15, with the four ages: 6, 7, 12 and 13, each
accounting for between 9 and 11 percent.
Table 3 presents the number of school-age (less than 19 years old)
occupant, pedestrian, and bicyclist fatalities and injuries by time of
day. An average of 3.5 school-age children died in school bus collisions
each year and 326 were injured. Of the 35 fatalities, six were school bus
occupants, 26 were pedestrians, and three were bicyclists. Of the
injuries, an average of 282 were school bus occupants, 33 were pedestrians,
and 11 were bicyclists.
More school-age pedestrian fatalities and injuries occurred in
the afternoon than in the morning, with approximately 50 percent of
fatalities and 51 percent of injuries occurring in collisions between 3:00
p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Two-thirds of school-age occupant fatalities occurred
between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on the journey to school. Almost 43
percent of school-age occupant injuries occurred between 7:00 a.m. and
9:00 a.m., followed by 36 percent of occupant injuries occurring between
3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. About 60 percent of school-age bicyclist injuries
occurred between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., while about 26 percent of these
injuries occurred on the journey to school between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.
Table 3 |
School-Age Casualties (Less Than 19 Years Old) by
Time of Day, 1992-2001 |
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|
School Bus Occupants |
Pedestrians |
Bicyclists |
Total |
Time of Day |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
12:00 - 6:59 a.m. |
0 |
26 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
35 |
7:00 - 7:59 a.m. |
2 |
228 |
2 |
17 |
0 |
5 |
4 |
250 |
8:00 - 8:59 a.m. |
2 |
979 |
4 |
53 |
0 |
22 |
6 |
1,054 |
9:00 - 9:59 a.m. |
0 |
63 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
70 |
10:00 - 10:59 a.m. |
0 |
20 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
22 |
11:00 - 11:59 a.m. |
0 |
98 |
2 |
20 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
122 |
12:00 - 12:59 p.m. |
0 |
141 |
3 |
14 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
161 |
1:00 - 1:59 p.m. |
0 |
37 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
48 |
2:00 - 2:59 p.m. |
1 |
130 |
1 |
12 |
0 |
9 |
2 |
151 |
3:00 - 3:59 p.m. |
1 |
655 |
11 |
107 |
2 |
37 |
14 |
799 |
4:00 - 4:59 p.m. |
0 |
347 |
2 |
61 |
0 |
16 |
2 |
424 |
5:00 - 11:59 p.m. |
0 |
80 |
0 |
17 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
98 |
Unknown |
0 |
16 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
22 |
Total |
6 |
2,820 |
26 |
331 |
3 |
105 |
35 |
3,256 |
Tables 4 and 5 present the number of school buses having at least one
occupant casualty in single- and multi-vehicle collisions. Table 4 shows
the number of buses and casualties by principal point of impact on the
school bus. In collisions involving casualties to occupants of a school
bus, the principal point of impact on the school bus was known for 73
percent of the buses involved. The greatest numbers of impact points (69
percent) were divided among the front (18 percent), rear (15 percent),
left side (19 percent) and right side (17 percent). The number of
principal points of impact reported as unknown, at 27 percent, includes
data from one province and one territory that do not report this variable.
Between 1992 and 2001, 1,767 school buses were involved in collisions
in which at least one occupant of a school bus was injured. The vast
majority of those collisions (approximately 80 percent) involved another
vehicle. In the 314 single-vehicle collisions, no occupants died but 877
occupants were injured. In the multi-vehicle collisions involving 1,453
school buses, 7 occupants perished and 3,459 were injured.
Although this information is not shown in a table, the first harmful
events in the 314 single-vehicle collisions, in which an occupant was
killed or injured, were as follows: striking a fixed object (ditch, post,
guardrail, etc.) - 87 collisions; running off the road - 75 collisions;
some other non-collision event - 78 collisions; overturning - 15
collisions; striking a moving object (pedestrian, animal, train, etc.) -
12 collisions; and other or unknown event - 47 collisions.
Table 4
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School Buses Having Occupant Casualties by Principal Point of Impact
on School Bus, 1992-2001
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Primary Impact Location on
School Bus |
Type of Collision |
Single-Vehicle |
Multi-Vehicle |
Total |
# of Buses |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
# of Buses |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
# of Buses |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Front |
49 |
0 |
186 |
262 |
1 |
980 |
311 |
1 |
1,166 |
Top |
8 |
0 |
45 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
10 |
1 |
49 |
Rear |
4 |
0 |
49 |
260 |
2 |
798 |
264 |
2 |
847 |
Left |
35 |
0 |
73 |
300 |
0 |
465 |
335 |
0 |
538 |
Right |
60 |
0 |
75 |
245 |
2 |
272 |
305 |
2 |
347 |
Undercarriage |
6 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
11 |
Extensive |
32 |
0 |
163 |
18 |
0 |
37 |
50 |
0 |
200 |
Unknown |
120 |
0 |
276 |
365 |
1 |
902 |
485 |
1 |
1,178 |
Total |
314 |
0 |
877 |
1,453 |
7 |
3,459 |
1,767 |
7 |
4,336 |
Table 5 shows the number of school buses having occupant casualties, by
single and multi-vehicle collisions by year.
Table 5 |
School Buses Having Occupant Casualties by Year, 1992-2001 |
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Year |
Type of Collision |
Single-Vehicle |
Multi-Vehicle |
Total |
# of Buses |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
# of Buses |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
# of Buses |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
1992 |
40 |
0 |
109 |
148 |
0 |
329 |
188 |
0 |
438 |
1993 |
44 |
0 |
113 |
137 |
0 |
284 |
181 |
0 |
397 |
1994 |
26 |
0 |
89 |
178 |
3 |
457 |
204 |
3 |
546 |
1995 |
45 |
0 |
154 |
148 |
0 |
338 |
193 |
0 |
492 |
1996 |
31 |
0 |
65 |
139 |
0 |
42 |
170 |
0 |
407 |
1997 |
22 |
0 |
64 |
139 |
0 |
322 |
161 |
0 |
386 |
1998 |
26 |
0 |
57 |
121 |
1 |
285 |
147 |
1 |
342 |
1999 |
25 |
0 |
82 |
135 |
1 |
304 |
160 |
1 |
386 |
2000 |
26 |
0 |
62 |
168 |
2 |
426 |
194 |
2 |
488 |
2001 |
29 |
0 |
82 |
140 |
0 |
372 |
169 |
0 |
454 |
Total |
314 |
0 |
877 |
1,453 |
7 |
3,459 |
1,767 |
7 |
4,336 |
Table 6 shows the number of pedestrian casualties by vehicle manoeuvre
of the striking vehicle. Over the 10-year period, an average of three
pedestrians were killed and 41 were injured each year when struck
by school buses. An average of one fatality and 13 injuries occurred when
pedestrians were struck by another vehicle in a collision involving a
school bus, or where the striking vehicle was not recorded. In collisions involving school buses, 79 percent of the fatally injured
pedestrians were struck by school buses and 16 percent were struck by
another vehicle. In the remaining five percent of the pedestrian
fatalities, the striking vehicle was not recorded.
Table 6 |
Pedestrian Casualties by Vehicle Manoeuvre of
Striking Vehicle, 1992-2001 |
|
Vehicle Manoeuvre |
Striking Vehicle |
School Bus |
Other Vehicle |
Unknown Vehicle |
Total |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Fatalities |
Injuries |
Going Straight |
7 |
166 |
5 |
59 |
0 |
4 |
12 |
229 |
Turning Left |
4 |
78 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
78 |
Turning Right |
6 |
53 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
54 |
Changing Lanes |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Merging or Overtaking |
0 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
12 |
Reversing |
1 |
15 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
17 |
Slowing or Stopping |
1 |
24 |
1 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
33 |
Stopped or Parked |
1 |
6 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
8 |
1 |
17 |
Starting in Traffic |
8 |
28 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
28 |
Starting from Parked Position |
2 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
Entering Parked Position |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
Swerving to Avoid Object |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Unknown |
0 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
34 |
2 |
48 |
Total |
30 |
405 |
6 |
78 |
2 |
51 |
38 |
534 |
References
1. Not all provinces and territories report a breakdown
of the data element “Injury Severity of Person”. Return
to text
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Source:
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Transport Canada, Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate, Traffic Accident Information Database (TRAID)
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