Common hazards for road-based public passenger services

Common hazards in public passenger services are those widely recognised as potential causes of harm that are common to most passenger transport services.

Relevant definitions

Hazard—hazards are anything that can cause harm.

Risk—how likely that harm is to happen and how severe that harm could be.

Actions—controls (or the actions to be taken) are any measure that eliminates a risk, or where this is not reasonably practicable, reduces a risk. These may include procedures, policies and guidelines used to address your hazards.

What to consider

The identification, assessment, and treatment of risks need to be considered by operators with regard to their own operations. Since you understand your business best, it's your responsibility when developing a safety management plan (SMP) to carefully:

  • identify and describe potential hazards—There are 3 areas that you must consider when developing your SMP
    • the people involved in providing the service
    • the vehicles used to provide the service
    • any other factors relevant to the activities carried out by the duty holder in the course of providing the service
  • assess the level of risk associated with the hazard—assess the harm the hazard could cause and calculate the level of risk associated
  • decide on actions to eliminate or reduce the safety risk—you should always aim to eliminate risks, as this is the best way to manage risk. If you can't eliminate risks, you must minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

Your SMP only needs to address hazards and risks related to delivering your road-based public passenger service. This isn't meant to duplicate any existing risk management practices you have in place under your work health and safety (WHS) or heavy vehicle national law (HVNL) obligations. If you already have an existing WHS or HVNL plan you may only need to update it to ensure it addresses your passenger transport hazards and risks and meets SMP requirements.

Your safety obligations

It is important to remember that you are responsible for the safe operation of your service, and duty holders cannot delegate their safety obligations to another party. Your SMP is a tool to help you manage this responsibility by focusing on what the duty holders for your service can do to eliminate or minimise risks.

Actions to remove or reduce risks should be reasonably practicable for you to implement.

Example common hazards

The examples provided are not a substitute for your own risk assessment but are intended to help you start thinking about potential hazards and risks. It is not an exhaustive list.

Some may not apply to your business. Where relevant, we have labelled the hazards by service type, such as buses or personalised transport. Where there is no label, the hazard could be relevant to all service types.

Example common hazards—People

Relating to the people involved in providing the service.

  • Driver fatigue can occur from driving for too long, having too little sleep, having breaks between shifts that are too short, or secondary employment.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Mental or physical exhaustion can slow reactions and impair decision making which increases the risk of crashes causing serious injury or death.

  • Driver distraction can happen due to using a mobile phone, dispatch equipment, eating, adjusting the radio, or interacting with passengers while driving.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Driver fails to either notice and/or react appropriately to traffic situations, incidents or other potentially dangerous situations and could cause a crash resulting in serious injury or death.

  • Inadequate training can result from not providing proper introductory or refresher training for all staff, such as drivers, call centre staff, and maintenance workers.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Staff who are not properly trained on the latest operational protocols, emergency response procedures, disability/accessibility awareness and technology might fail to respond effectively to safety-critical situations or to maintain vehicles and equipment properly.

    This can lead to, or exacerbate impacts of, incidents or crashes on passengers and drivers.

  • A driver working without a valid driver licence because it has expired or has been suspended or cancelled.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Drivers with suspended licences may be driving unsafely, which could have road safety implications for passengers.

  • A driver working without proper authorisation because their Driver Authorisation (DA) has expired or been suspended, or the DA is the incorrect category for the service they are providing.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Drivers with an expired DA will no longer have their criminal history monitored daily, meaning arrests or charges for disqualifying offences may go undetected.

    Drivers with a suspended or cancelled DA may have demonstrated behaviour that raises concerns about their suitability to provide the service.

    Drivers holding the incorrect DA category may lack the necessary training to operate the vehicle or deliver the service appropriately.

    These issues could pose significant safety risks for passengers.

  • A driver working while they are affected by a temporary or long-term medical condition that may affect their ability to drive a public passenger service.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Drivers with a medical condition may be at risk of having a medical episode while driving, which could have road safety implications for passengers.

  • A driver may be affected by drugs or alcohol, including the use of unreported medication.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Alcohol, drugs, or medications can impair a driver's ability to safely operate a vehicle by affecting judgement and reaction times, which significantly increases the risk of crashes causing serious injury or death.

  • Not following road rules can include not abiding by traffic lights or road signs, failing to indicate, not giving way to other vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists, or not leaving enough space for cyclists.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    There is an increased risk of collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists if drivers are not following the road rules.

  • Soliciting and touting for public passenger services includes pestering potential customers, exerting pressure on someone to use a taxi, ride-booking or other service and actively approaching people to offer services.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Soliciting and touting can create safety risks for both the public and drivers. Members of the public can feel annoyed, harassed, intimidated and threatened by such conduct. Drivers and other staff can face threats and physical harm as a response to touting and soliciting.

  • Time pressures on a driver can arise from unrealistic schedules or timetables.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Drivers under time pressure may speed or engage in aggressive driving or unsafe driving behaviours, such as failure to accommodate accessibility needs of vulnerable passengers to meet tight schedules, increasing the risk of crashes or safety incidents causing serious injury or death.

  • Assault on drivers or other passengers includes physical violence, verbal threats, or unwanted sexual contact or attention. Assaults are often more common during late-night operations.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Without procedures to assist drivers in the event of an assault, operators risk compromising the safety and wellbeing of their staff, which could lead to physical injuries and psychological trauma.

    Violent and/or abusive passengers can also physically harm or psychologically affect other passengers.

  • Drivers running a new route may mean the driver is unfamiliar with the route or that it is a newly introduced route for the service.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Drivers running an unfamiliar route may increase the risk of incidents.

  • Insufficient supply of drivers can result in not being able to run a service.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    The unavailability of the service negatively impacts the community or compromises community safety due to the absence of equivalent passenger transport alternatives.

Example common hazards—Vehicles

Relating to the vehicles used to provide the service.

  • Mechanical failure refers to the breakdown of vehicle components such as brakes, tyres, steering, windshield wipers or lights.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Mechanical failures could cause serious crashes resulting in serious injury or death. Break downs could also cause delays with passengers on board and create a hazard for other road users.

  • A vehicle is being used for a purpose it wasn't designed, configured, or equipped for (e.g. a sedan being used to provide an off-road passenger tourist service).

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Vehicles being used for a purpose they were not made for could increase the risk of mechanical failure and crashes resulting in serious injury or death.

  • Certain vehicles are required to have regular inspections to ensure they are mechanically sound to be used as a passenger service vehicle.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Vehicles that have missed their regular inspection may not be mechanically sound for use as a passenger service vehicle and may be more likely to experience mechanical failures, which could cause crashes resulting in serious injury or death.

  • Entrapment occurs when a person becomes trapped between the door and the bus frame, particularly when operating the manual emergency door release mechanism from outside the bus.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Entrapment can result in serious injuries or fatalities. The inability to free oneself from the door in the absence of assistance could lead to prolonged entrapment and further harm.

  • Damaged safety equipment includes issues like broken seat belts or faulty anchor points.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Damaged or destroyed safety equipment could increase the risk of injury in the case of an crash.

  • Malfunctioning accessibility equipment can include issues with lifts, ramps or anchor points.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Passengers with disabilities are unable to access vehicles. Passengers or drivers may be injured if equipment malfunctions during use.

  • Blind spots refer to areas around the vehicle that are difficult to see, particularly when reversing.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    If drivers are not able to see all areas around the vehicle, the potential for collisions with nearby objects, other vehicles or pedestrians are increased. May be worse for larger vehicles such as buses and maxi taxis.

Example common hazards—Other factors

Any other matter relevant to the activities carried out by the duty holder in the course of providing the road-based public passenger service must also be considered.

  • Standing passengers on 'no standing passenger' roads refers to situations where passengers are not allowed to stand as the road is designated as too long and steep, or very steep, to safely allow standing passengers.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Standing passengers are particularly susceptible to falls and collisions with other passengers due to a lack of restraints and the difficulty of maintaining balance while the bus is travelling on a long steep, or very steep road. Read more about the notified long steep, or very steep roads where standing passengers are not permitted.

  • Buses designed for standing passengers are equipped with specific safety features. Carrying standing passengers in a bus not designed for standing passengers may pose safety risks. Some vehicle features, such as Advanced Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS), may also make it unsafe for passengers to stand while the vehicle is in motion.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Standing passengers are at a greater risk of falls, trips or collisions with other passengers, objects, or parts of the bus, particularly if the bus is not designed to carry standing passengers.

  • Incorrect seating on a bus occurs when there is a failure to ensure that no more than 1 passenger occupies an adult seat.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Multiple passengers on adult seats (except in accordance with the 3 for 2 seating exemption) increases the risk of injury in the event of a collision.

  • Overloading on a bus occurs when there is an incorrect weight distribution on the axles.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Overloading can reduce the manoeuvrability of the bus, increase the amount of time it takes to stop when braking and increase the risk of tipping.

  • Unsafe or inappropriate student behaviour on buses that compromises the safety and wellbeing of other students and passengers, bus drivers and operators. This includes all primary and secondary school students in Queensland who travel by bus to and/or from school or for other school-related activities, such as school sports, excursions and camps and may relate to any bus service.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Physical injuries, psychological harm (e.g. bullying), or increased risk of crashes due to driver distraction.

  • Standing passengers on buses can face risks such as trips, falls, or collisions with other passengers, objects, or parts of the bus.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Standing passengers in moving vehicles are more vulnerable to injuries from sudden stops, turns, or collisions due to a lack of restraints and the difficulty of maintaining balance. Risk is heightened in crowded conditions or at high speeds, potentially leading to falls and subsequent harm to passengers.

  • Passengers with a disability or those in isolated or late-night settings may be denied service. This is particularly common for personalised transport services.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Delays or refusal of services for passengers with a disability, those who use a wheelchair, or those in isolated or late-night settings can increase safety risks and potentially cause physical harm.

  • Using unsafe pick up or drop off locations, improperly loading or unloading, or failing to correctly secure passengers with a disability or those who use a wheelchair can pose serious risks.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Failing to ensure the safety of passengers with a disability or who use a wheelchair can lead to serious physical injury and other harm if they are not provided with safe services.

  • Inappropriate access and use of footage recording in taxis and other passenger transport services.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Vehicles fitted with security cameras can record sensitive footage of passengers and drivers. Misusing, accessing, or sharing these recordings or images inappropriately can cause psychological harm and other safety risks to those involved.

  • Insufficient incident reporting procedures occur when there are inadequate systems for reporting safety incidents raised by staff or passengers.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Failure to log and respond appropriately to safety incidents could lead to recurring issues as well as hindering the identification and resolution of safety hazards.

  • Road conditions refer to driving environments such as highways or motorways where vehicles travel at higher speeds, or unsealed, unmaintained or winding roads, requiring increased caution and attention.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Operating in difficult or varying driving environments increases the likelihood of crashes resulting in serious injury or death.

  • Wet weather conditions, including flash flooding and adverse weather, can create hazardous driving environments, reducing visibility and traction.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Failure to adjust driving to conditions can cause skidding and hydroplaning as well as reduced stopping distances. Wet weather also reduces visibility. These have the potential to lead to serious incidents.

  • Improper luggage storage includes issues such as overloading luggage compartments or failing to secure items properly, which can pose safety risks during travel.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Potential for luggage to fall and injure passengers or staff. Improperly stored luggage may also impede the movement of passengers with mobility issues.

  • Passengers embarking and disembarking refers to varying infrastructure or surrounds, such as driveways, streets and gutters, taxi ranks, busway stations or designated bus stops, where passengers board or leave the vehicle.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Passengers embarking and disembarking have an increased risk of trips or falls depending on infrastructure and where the vehicle stops.

    Smaller vehicles parked too far from a gutter may increase the risk of trips or falls. If rear doors are opened where the roadside infrastructure does not support safe boarding, this may create accessibility issues for passengers with limited mobility. Passengers may also be unintentionally hit or caught by the rear door closing.

  • Runaway vehicle refers to a vehicle that rolls away when stationary (often caused by failure to engage parking brakes) or is unable to stop due to mechanical failure or operator error.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Runaway vehicles can cause collisions, property damage and crushing injuries or fatalities.

  • Collisions with wildlife can involve hitting animals at speed, which can be dangerous. Driver behaviour, such as sudden swerving or braking to avoid animals, can also increase the risk of crashes resulting in serious injury or death.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Colliding with wildlife not only increases the risk of vehicle damage but also poses a serious threat to the safety of drivers and passengers.

  • Lost communications refer to situations where contact is disrupted, often in regional or remote areas or known mobile black spots, potentially impacting safety and coordination.

    Harm the hazard could cause

    Inability to seek help or coordinate with emergency services due to poor or non-existent communication channels.

Also consider...