A fatal bus crash Christmas Eve on the Okanagan Connector highlights some of the confusion around seatbelt use on B.C. buses and the need for clearer messaging about the reasons to buckle up.
While the Ebus involved in the crash was equipped with seatbelts, few passengers were wearing them, Kelowna RCMP spokesman Const. James Ward said earlier this week.
The issue represents a “grey zone” with some jurisdictional overlap, he said. “Even asking around here, there was some different answers on how the laws apply to different vehicles.”
Nonetheless, the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act remains clear that if a seat is equipped with a seatbelt, it must be worn.
“I think there’s a misconception that, because the buses are so large that if they get into a crash, they’re so high up, they’re going to be OK,” Ward told The Canadian Press on Thursday.
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“If the seatbelt isn’t required to be installed, wearing one could be treated as optional,” she said.
Lee said she’s never seen a case in which someone riding a bus was ticketed for a seatbelt infraction. In a conflict, federal law would supersede provincial law.
In a statement, Transport Canada said its regulations on seatbelt installation only apply to medium and large buses built on or after Sept. 1, 2020. For buses in operation before that date, “provincial and territorial governments have jurisdiction on any equipment requirements.”
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