Human factors issues in motorcoach emergency egress
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2009-08-01
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Edition:Interim Report; September 2007 - November 2008
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Abstract:FMVSS 217, Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release specifies a series of dimensional and physical requirements
for emergency exits. The intent of NHTSA is “to minimize the likelihood of occupants being ejected from the bus and to provide
a means of readily accessible emergency egress” for those occupants under crash and other emergency scenarios. These scenarios
can include catastrophic bus accident situations, such as a vehicle fire, rollover, or water immersion where immediate emergency
evacuation is necessary under life-threatening and difficult conditions.
In 2007, NHTSA issued a research plan to address priority actions specifically related to motorcoach emergency egress.
This interim report describes the preliminary findings of the first year of a two-year NHTSA-funded study which focused on three
topics: 1) emergency exits, 2) interior and exterior emergency exit marking, and 3) emergency exit lighting.
A literature search was completed; several field visits were conducted, which included emergency window and roof exit hatch
operation; and two sets of motorcoach egress experiments were conducted.
Potential motorcoach design changes identified and discussed in this interim report include: redesign of the wheelchair access
door and/or installation of another side door for use as an emergency exit; redesign of emergency window exit opening and
release systems; additional and larger emergency roof exit hatches; and increased conspicuity of emergency exits, either by use of
high performance photoluminescent marking material or crashworthy emergency exit lighting, or dual-mode systems, which
combine both technologies.
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