COACH CRASH IN SWITZERLAND

**silvermist** · 14-03-2012, 06:37 PM

Oh my goodness, theres been another coach crash killing over 20 children and all adults aboard. My husbands a coach driver and is sitting there watching news. However can something like this happen? God only knows how those parents are coping with this news. Our prayers need to go out to them

**silvermist** · 14-03-2012, 06:40 PM

Those poor children who survived must of been absolutely terrified! I feel so sad now

**silvermist** · 14-03-2012, 07:18 PM

Just been watching the news and this happened late last night and its the first I'd heard of it! Didnt see news this morning, So sad!

**Mouse** · 14-03-2012, 07:43 PM

I read about it this morning.

It is so very sad.

**blue bear** · 14-03-2012, 07:56 PM

Very sad, poor parents especially those not knowing what's happened to their children.

**silvermist** · 14-03-2012, 07:57 PM

I know, it must be hell for them.

**nikki thomson** · 14-03-2012, 08:18 PM

It is very sad, I heard it on the news tonight, and so bizzare, he wasn't speeding, road conditions good, no other vehicles involved, no eye witnesses, and the state of that coach, horrific.
I just can't imagine what itust of been like for the children who survived and the emergency services, so awful. I hope they do find out the cause as I think this will help over time for the families of those killed to find some sort of closure. X

**silvermist** · 14-03-2012, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by nikki thomson

It is very sad, I heard it on the news tonight, and so bizzare, he wasn't speeding, road conditions good, no other vehicles involved, no eye witnesses, and the state of that coach, horrific.
I just can't imagine what itust of been like for the children who survived and the emergency services, so awful. I hope they do find out the cause as I think this will help over time for the families of those killed to find some sort of closure. X

Lets hope so, I couldn't believe the state of the coach too. DH said it gives him chills as he has 53 high school pupils on his bus every day and knows them all so well now. I just cant stop thinking about it, its really upsetting.

**rickysmiths** · 14-03-2012, 10:45 PM

Oh it is terrible.

What I don't understand is how even with two drivers they can justify leaving the resort at 9pm and have a 500+ mile journey to drive? What have the drivers done during the day, have they really rested or have they been spending their day skiing? Or did they drive down from Belgium they night before? It seems very dangerous to me and it was one of the reasons I would never let my children go on these trips, the mad mad travel arrangements.

I know these are 'professional' drivers but dh and I have been discussing it and we wouldn't set off on a 500 mile journey late at night even with the two of us sharing the driving.

I really think there should be a ban on this travel this the second accident with fatalities in the last few weeks. Why are our children put in such potential danger?

My thoughts and prayers are with those left behind.

**Toothfairy** · 15-03-2012, 07:44 AM

So very, very sad

They say the children killed were only around 12yrs old.
What must those poor families be going through, I just can't imagine it.

**Roseolivia** · 15-03-2012, 08:12 AM

When we've been skiing i worry about this as the coaches we're on don't always have seatbelts and they don't accommodate car seats. Last year i had to hold Alfie on my knee for 2 hrs.

**rickysmiths** · 15-03-2012, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Roseolivia

When we've been skiing i worry about this as the coaches we're on don't always have seatbelts and they don't accommodate car seats. Last year i had to hold Alfie on my knee for 2 hrs.

Now you see I just wouldn't go near travel in those circumstances. Until people stop using these services and demand better quality and safer travelling times and more drivers there is no hope these accidents will continue to happen.

**Mouse** · 15-03-2012, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

Now you see I just wouldn't go near travel in those circumstances. Until people stop using these services and demand better quality and safer travelling times and more drivers there is no hope these accidents will continue to happen.

Despite tragedies like this, coach travel is still statistically one of the safest forms of travel.

**silvermist** · 15-03-2012, 09:09 AM

My hubby is a coach driver and there are seat belts on his coach. He did say he would never agree to setting off on a long journey that late at night and there would be 2 or 3 drivers so they could swap. Also if anyone takes off a seat belt on his coach a light comes on and he has to stop!

**rickysmiths** · 15-03-2012, 09:18 AM

That's interesting Tinks. I remember when my son was in Year 6 and when to France on a school journey. Before the Coach left school the children were told in no uncertain terms that they were not to take off their seat belt because if they did the driver could be fined and the bill would be passed on to their parents!

**silvermist** · 15-03-2012, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

That's interesting Tinks. I remember when my son was in Year 6 and when to France on a school journey. Before the Coach left school the children were told in no uncertain terms that they were not to take off their seat belt because if they did the driver could be fined and the bill would be passed on to their parents!

Its a very serious issue RS, my hubby has been told, if a seat belt comes off he must stop the bus ( the high school kids think its funny and poor hubby gets quite annoyed with them) Im surprised that not all coaches have seat belts now!

**rickysmiths** · 15-03-2012, 12:10 PM

I know it is shocking really. We live in a semi rural town and the High School my children go to draws from a 20 mile + radius so the County provide school buses.

It was quite interesting on Monday morning when I dropped ds at school there was a big Police presence. I thought they were there to monitor the idiot parents that park and drive so badly that there is another accident waiting to happen, there have already been two fatalities of students on the road outside the school in the last 8 years and one badly injured in the last couple of years.

But no, it was the Traffic Police and DVLA checking all the Coach/bus drivers paperwork and checking the buses for road worthiness. By 8.15 they had pulled 3 of them into the school grounds for a more through inspection

**rickysmiths** · 15-03-2012, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

Despite tragedies like this, coach travel is still statistically one of the safest forms of travel.

I know it is like crossing the road though it is mostly safe but that doesn't mean there are some places that benefit from having a crossing. It does seem that these long night journeys are particularly vulnerable. I have never understood why we contemplate subjecting our children to them.

**silvermist** · 15-03-2012, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

I know it is shocking really. We live in a semi rural town and the High School my children go to draws from a 20 mile + radius so the County provide school buses.

It was quite interesting on Monday morning when I dropped ds at school there was a big Police presence. I thought they were there to monitor the idiot parents that park and drive so badly that there is another accident waiting to happen, there have already been two fatalities of students on the road outside the school in the last 8 years and one badly injured in the last couple of years.

But no, it was the Traffic Police and DVLA checking all the Coach/bus drivers paperwork and checking the buses for road worthiness. By 8.15 they had pulled 3 of them into the school grounds for a more through inspection

Crikey! I know VOSA are always doing random checks round our way! Hubby is very hot on things being right, which is great for the coach company but not so great when he's wanting his tea!