Passenger safety
Emergencies and evacuating the bus
Fire, accidents and controlled evacuation of the bus
In the event of fire, an accident or other danger, it is the driver who must act calmly and get everyone out safely. The guide covers the sequence in an emergency: stop and secure, assess, raise the alarm, evacuate through the right exits and count the passengers — plus the subsequent documentation. Specific figures and requirements are found in the vehicle's documentation and the applicable rules.
Stop safely and secure the bus
Bring the bus to a stop in the safest place you can reach — preferably away from tunnels, bridges and heavy traffic. Switch on the hazard lights and apply the parking brake, and switch off the engine to cut the fuel supply if there is a risk of fire.
Assess the danger in a few seconds
Quickly get an overview: is it fire, smoke, a collision or illness? The hazard determines everything that follows — with smoke and fire the bus must be evacuated immediately, while a minor incident can be handled without everyone having to go out into the traffic.
Give a clear, calm message
Speak loudly and clearly to the passengers to avoid panic: tell them what is happening and what they need to do. Your calm is contagious — a controlled evacuation is faster and safer than a panicked one.
Short, concrete commands work best under pressure: «Stand up, walk calmly towards the front door, leave your bags.»
Open the right exits
Open the doors and emergency exits that face away from the danger and out onto safe ground. If a door is blocked or without power, use the emergency release from inside or the emergency hammer/glass breaker to break a side window at the marked corner.
Prioritise the weakest and use the emergency equipment
Help wheelchair users, people with reduced mobility, children and the elderly first. If it is a small fire you can safely reach, take the fire extinguisher; otherwise evacuation comes before extinguishing. The first aid kit is used once everyone is safe.
Gather the passengers at a safe distance
Direct the evacuated passengers away from the bus and away from the carriageway — behind the crash barrier or up a bank, not into the adjacent lane. In a fire there may be smoke, bursting tyres and an explosion in the tank; keep well clear.
Count the passengers and call 112
Count heads and make sure no one is left on the bus. Call 112 and give the location (road name/number, direction of travel), what has happened, the number of injured and whether there is a fire. Stay on the line until the emergency centre releases you.
Emergency number112Secure the accident scene
Place the warning triangle well back and put on a hi-vis vest; use the hazard lights and any warning cones to make the stationary bus visible — especially in darkness and poor weather. The aim is to prevent a secondary collision.
Document and save data
When everyone is safe: photograph damage, road conditions and the vehicle's position, note witnesses and other parties, and inform the dispatcher immediately. Secure tachograph/driver card data for the period — at a roadside check the current day and the previous 56 days must be shown, and the operator keeps data for at least 12 months.
At a roadside checkcurrent day + 56 daysAt the hauliermin. 12 months
Source
Based on the bus article «Passenger safety & evacuation», the bus template «Incident and accident report» and Regulation (EU) 165/2014 (storage of tachograph data).