FACTS
- Wet or Icy Steps: Accumulation of moisture, snow, or ice on bus steps increases the risk of slipping.
- Worn or Damaged Treads: Damaged or worn-out step surfaces can lead to trips and falls.
- Inadequate Lighting: Poor illumination during early morning or evening routes can cause missteps.
- Cluttered Steps: Objects left on steps, such as bags or debris, create tripping hazards.
- Improper Footwear: Students or drivers wearing inappropriate shoes may be more prone to slipping.
- Lack of Handrails: Absence or poor maintenance of handrails reduces stability for passengers boarding or alighting.
- Sudden Movements: Bus movement while passengers are on the steps can cause loss of balance.
STATS
- According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), the majority (67%) of falls happen on the same level, resulting from slips and trips.
- According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), slips, trips, and falls led to 450,540 work injuries in 2023.
- The New Jersey Education Association reported that, from 2020 to 2021, the number of work-related injuries caused by slips, trips, and falls increased by 40% in U.S. public elementary and secondary schools.
- Every school day, more than 50,000 buses transport over 2.2 million children to and from school across Canada, resulting in an estimated 792 million student trips per year.
- Statistics Canada documents that as many as 1.7 million falls occur for people aged 12 and older every year, accounting for about 40% of all injuries.
- In the last decade, there has been only one fatality on a school bus in Canada, highlighting the overall safety of school bus transportation.