The recent Stonehaven school bus rollover in Victoria, in which 12-year-old Milla Killeen was killed and many others were injured, reminds us that bus crashes, though uncommon, can have devastating consequences.

In 2023 alone, ten people were killed in the Hunter Valley wedding bus crash in New South Wales. In a separate crash, 18 school children were hospitalised after a truck collided with their bus near Melbourne.

When it comes to road safety, seatbelts are one of the most effective interventions ever introduced. They have saved thousands of lives by reducing the severity of crashes for drivers and passengers. Compliance in cars in Australia is now nearly universal.

But this habit does not extend as strongly to buses, even when seatbelts are fitted. This is despite evidence showing bus seatbelts are also highly effective.

So what are the laws around bus seatbelts in Australia? And how do we ensure people use them?

Buses account for a very small share of road fatalities in Australia.

Over the decade from 2014–2023, bus crashes made up approximately 1.6% of all fatal road crashes, averaging 17 fatal crashes per year, with only around four bus occupant deaths annually.

Bus occupants made up less than 1% of all fatalities or hospitalisations in road crashes.

Buses are generally safe because their size and mass offer greater protection in collisions. They are usually driven by professional and well-trained drivers, and many services operate on predictable, lower-risk........

© The Conversation