A motor coach owned by OGA Charter rolled over on a wet highway in Texas, killing eight people and injuring 44 others. It’s a tragic situation that might have been prevented: according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s website, the regulators ordered OGA Charters to sideline the bus in May 2015 because of brake problems, and again in August 2015. The May 2015 inspection reported brake connections with leaks, problems with the automatic brake system, and a discolored windshield.
Although the National Transportation Safety Board investigators are still trying to determine a cause of the crash, this accident emphasizes that regulators need to concentrate even more on passive bus safety systems including seat belts.
Several studies – and our experience at GWR – have found that a key factor of injuries in many bus crashes is that many motor coaches didn’t update their seat belt safety systems. Many old motor coaches still use old seat belts, resulting in the passenger safety being compromised when accidents occur. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration declared that if passengers and drivers wear 3-point seat belts, it could reduce 44 percent of deaths by crash accidents. GWR designs and manufactures leading 3-point seat belt systems used to improve both passenger and driver safety and reduce deaths from bus accidents. We strongly recommend that bus and motor coach owners retrofit their existing buses with our 3-point seat belts to increase their customer’s safety.
Our product link: https://gwrco.com/seatbelts/coaches/

Bus rollover in Texas kills 8 and Injures 44, The New York Times, May 14, 2016: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/15/us/bus-rollover-in-texas-kills-8-and-injures-dozens.html?_r=0