SINGAPORE - Displaying the slogan “Be Safe, Be Seen”, 15 buses are now plying the roads as part of a safety campaign by SBS Transit that was launched on Tuesday.
The interior of each bus also features safety reminders for passengers to use poles and hand grips for support while onboard, and for pedestrians to keep an eye out for traffic when crossing the road.
But the most eye-catching aspect of the bus is its brightly coloured exterior, acting as visual indicators of blind-spot zones for the driver.
“Most people think that buses with their wide and large windscreens coupled with their side mirrors would offer good visibility to bus captains of fellow motorists or cyclists travelling next to their buses. However, this is not always the case due to the buses’ blind spots, which can lead to misunderstandings on the road,” SBS Transit said.
One of the buses was displayed at Toa Payoh HDB Hub as part of an exhibition launched on Tuesday by Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development, Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim.
For an interactive touch, members of the public were invited to board and pose for photos in the driver’s seat. Bicycles and motorcycles were also positioned in blind-spot zones to give visitors a chance to better visualise the experience of the bus captain.
“It was certainly eye-opening to sit in the bus captain’s seat, as I saw for myself how a cyclist like me may not be visible to the driver when I am in the blind spot zone,” said Mr Aram Pan, 47, who cycles regularly. “I used to get angry and call them careless, but now I know better and I’ll definitely be more careful.”
The event was a joint collaboration with the Traffic Police and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
SBS Transit Group chief executive officer Jeffrey Sim said: “We started (to plan the exhibition) with the Traffic Police, obviously, but when we found out that KKH wanted to promote safety with their mothers and children, we felt it was a natural partnership to reach out to the wider communities to promote safety.”
When it comes to road safety, Mr Sim believes it should be a two-way street.
“As much as we can train our bus drivers and put in technologies on the buses to help them drive better and spot road users, you need both hands to clap. Therefore, we wanted to raise awareness that road users are also responsible for doing their part. Together, I’m confident we’ll be able to bring about better outcomes.”
Over the next three months, the buses will ply six different routes: 46, 53, 73, 185, 238 and 852.
