Bus accident killed 13 Erasmus students in Catalonia

In summary, the bus carrying students from Erasmus crashed in Catalonia, killing at least 14 people. The driver has been injured slightly, and it appears that the students who died didn't wear seat belts. Although this is obligatory in Spain, it is treated very sloppily in Catalonia. The bus doesn't have seat belts except for in the driver's seat, and they aren't always three-point belts. Over here, there is ignorance to wearing seat belts, but drunk driving is declining.
  • #1
DrDu
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Maybe you have heard about this horrible accident in the spanisch province catalonia.
While there has been some speculation about whether the driver has fallen asleep, I would like to draw attention to another point: The driver seemingly has only been injured slightly. I guess that the students which were killed didn't wear the seat belt. While this is obligatory, I know that this is treated very sloppily in catalunia. Did the driver remind the students to close the belt before beginning the voyage? I think this would have saved many lives in this case. Maybe you consider it too, the next time you ride a bus.
 
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  • #2
Are passenger seat belts standard for buses? The ones I've ridden on don't have seat belts except for in the driver's seat. The bus I went to school on when I was young certainly didn't.
 
  • #3
In europe, seat belts are obligatory in all new busses built since 1999, At least for long distance busses.
 
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  • #5
DrDu said:
In europe, seat belts are obligatory in all new busses built since 1999, At least for long distance busses.

This is the catch, although it does like a bus for traveling. I haven't been on such buses often but haven't been really reminded of that.
One time when we went skiing in high school we were made aware at some point prior to leaving but the fact that people were sleeping in the aisle proved that it wasn't enforced all that much.

Also don't forget that it usually isn't a 3 point seat belt. I don't know how much difference there is between the two systems in terms of saving lives. There would be next to no chance for avoiding head injury.
Over here there seems to be some ignorance to wearing seat belts in general (I catch myself doing that sometimes as well), luckily drunk driving is declining.

All in all there seems to be some work left for safety enforcement in traffic. (all participants I'd say)
 

1. What caused the bus accident that killed 13 Erasmus students in Catalonia?

The exact cause of the bus accident is still under investigation. However, it has been reported that the bus was traveling at a high speed and lost control, crashing into a guardrail and overturning. It is possible that driver error or mechanical issues could have contributed to the accident.

2. Were any safety measures in place to prevent such accidents?

There are strict safety regulations in place for buses in Europe, including regular inspections and maintenance requirements. In addition, drivers are required to adhere to strict driving hours and rest periods to prevent fatigue. It is not yet known if these measures were followed in this particular case.

3. Were any of the students wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident?

According to reports, the majority of the students were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. It is important for all passengers to wear seatbelts while riding in a vehicle, as they greatly reduce the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

4. How common are bus accidents in Catalonia?

Bus accidents are relatively uncommon in Catalonia. However, any accident that results in fatalities is a tragedy and steps should be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.

5. What support is being provided to the families of the victims?

The local authorities and the universities of the students involved are providing support to the families of the victims. This includes counseling services, financial assistance, and assistance with repatriation of the deceased. The government has also declared three days of mourning in honor of the victims.

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