Coach Crash: Teacher's Family 'Devastated'

As a coach driver myself who just returned from Austria yesterday, we should not be judgemental towards the driver until the investigation has been published there could of been any number of reasons why the coach crashed, mechanical problems, or driver error.

My thoughts are with the family of the deceased and also for the injured that also includes the drivers.

How many more lives, how many more crashes before this insanity of long haul through the night driving has to stop. I am a coach driver that will not do ski coaches for this very reason. Even with two drivers its insane to think they can be alert for such a long period, they are not. It's unbelievable parents and schools allow this to take place. If it's to continue then a complete rest in a hotel en route is the answer, regardless of cost, as safety is surely paramount.

The Franch Autoroutes are superb but boring and during the early hours of the morning a driver may and is more likely to nod off. The best way of minimisng these accidents is to stop night driving for long haul coaches and limit drivers to eight hours with an hours break after the first four. This would put up costs and journey time but would reduce these sad incidents.

So very sad, what a tragic end to a winter holiday. Bad at best of times even worse if youngsters involved. My thoughts and prayers are with all involved and their families.

I used to be a coach driver on this stretch of road for 10 yrs, ( all night driving ), and it is easy to nod off,especially on a overnight drive because all you have are headlights coming towards you and you cannot look at scenery as you would during the day, I'm sure thousands of you know that for yourselves. In a car you can have the radio on, but you cannot have it on in a coach because you have passengers sleeping, so it can become very tedious. You cannot talk to the other driver because he will sleeping during his four and a half break. The only thing i did used to do sometimes if i felt my eyes dropping was to pull into a rest area and have short walk around and wash my face, not for long because we had a ferry to meet, but even then the stopping of the coach motion was enough to waken some people. To the family of the guy who died i express my sorrow, and to the guy in question, R.I.P.

After 14years in the Fire Service during which time I attended many serious traffic incidents, some of which had national coverage. I worked for 12 years as a coach driver, 11of that was on the continent. The worst part of that job was to get Teachers and children to wear their seatbelts as the law dictates. I am afraid to say that the vast majority of adults with school children were there on a jolly and frequently argued that they knew the law better than the drivers. Ski trips were the worst jobs and the pressure that is put on the driver by these ski companies to make up time caused by late departures at resorts was intense. During my time there were more drivers resigned after ski ing jobs than anything else, a week of sitting around freezing everyday then most often getting kicked out of your accomodation at 10am on the last day instead of being allowed to sleep untill near the evening departure time was a regular occurance.
The motorway up to Reims Champagne services is known as "the Black hole" It is straight and level for over 140 miles and has been the site of many fatal and very serious Coach crashes, infact in one "aire" (layby) there is a monument to victims of one such crash.
While drivers tiredness is a major factor it is not always the coach drivers fault. I recall being delayed by a crash where a car caused a German Mega-decker to swerve into the concrete central barrier resulting in it rolling over completely killing a lot of passengers on the top deck south of where this crash occured.
I am minded to ask if the man killed in this crash was wearing his seatbelt?

Unfortunately this will happen because even with the current regulations the bodies bios are upset with continual changes in driving periods drivers and employers may need to look at proper lay up periods like they operate in the airline industry.

As a trucker I know what it’s like etc but no driver should be forced (by the very nature of the job) to have to take his rest in a purpose built small box area under the coach while it is on the move, if that was the case. It is not fit to put a dog in there never mind a person. Time to alter the rules that will upset the corporate companies now and the paying customer unfortunately.

It would be tempting to turn this into arguement with Misha-Goodfrog but I won't as someone has lost their life. Following on his bragging rights I have 28yrs coach driving expierence and to imply that coach drivers party and put lives in danger is ludcrous and boardering on being lible. We are talking about the safety of both adults and children here and I know what the requirements are of the drivers. This smacks of a lorry driver having a dig at coach drivers and forgetting what this is all about.

When the European rules were changed in 2007,the adjustments made to single manned vehicles were sensible, although some member nations have sought to make their own variations since. But there were little changes made to the double manned regulations. Legally it is still okay for a two man team to drive continuously for 21 hours, simply changing over every 4 1/2 hours. On return journeys these drivers are expected to drive through the night, having supposedly had their daily rest period in daylight hours, often sharing a hotel room. This is a particular problem on ski jobs but also on school summer trips. The pressure is always on to keep going because failing to reach the destination in the legal hours is a problem for the coach company. Many a time I left a resort at 5pm, did a 4hr drive then handed over to a colleague, and known at 1am that we were already both not really safe to continue, because we had not been able to sleep before starting. And we still had 13 hours to go ! Usually end up doing only 2 hour spells, but the problem is that in your 2 hours off, you could not sleep because you were usually sat in the uncomfortable jump seat worrying that your co driver was going to nod off. The French motorways are the worst because they are deserted at night, and the monotony sends you to sleep. I have actually hallucinated while driving.

so sad, my thoughts go out to all the families

how can you make a joke about this? seriously!!!!

Very sad. There for a grace of god go I. My own boys have been on school trips like this and its every parents nightmare to hear they had an accident. You do not want to stop them enjoying life's experiences but you expect them to come safely home. I will pray for those injured and their families. xxx

A very unfortunate accident,but in time almost inevitable.Maybe now tour companies/coach operators will insist drivers at resorts have their own rooms.For a driver to share often with a total stranger who may smoke/drink/snore/watch tv all hours allows no rest to the other driver.I personally,as a coach driver,still carry out 'red eye' ski runs,but always insist on my own room at the resort.Interesting to know if this was the case.

My prayers for all of them XXX

I taught at Alvechurch Middle School for two years and also have children who attended the school. Peter Rippington was highly respected by colleagues, students and their parents for his dedication to his job and his role in the local community. He gave his time and energy generously for many years. This is a shockingly sad way to end a life that was so involved with helping others. RIP.

We have just had two weeks of unusually freezing weather in France. Temperatures hit minus twenty centigrade and a thaw set in only last thursday, with quite a bit of snow, rain and sleet following up in some parts. It is more than likely that there was black ice on many roads. So readers, kindly remember that an accident is often just that, that drivers are human and that there is no such thing as 100% safety on roads. Please let the investigators determine what the causes were instead of giving vent to silly conjectures, pointing fingers and uncalled-for racist abuse.

Glynn & Erica

I agree with you, I was a coach driver for 38 years and retired last week, I would not do ski resorts either even with 2 drivers its insane. I have driven all over europe sometimes as the only driver but I always finished driving after 8 hours with a break in the middle. RIP the poor passengera and God help the others.

As a coach driver I have done many years of ski work but this year decided not to do any. There is always an accident waiting to happen. Drivers being forced to share bedrooms with other drivers they may not know. The other driver may snore keeping you awake. Two drivers but driving first thing in morning and up until midnight. On the last day having to get up early take your party to the ski lift. Than 9 hours off in the day and drive home. The driver is tired out before he starts, But it is the best way for the ski company to make profits. It saves them paying for an Italian coach on the last morning and safety dosn't come into it. PROFIT PROFIT PROFIT

What a sad state this Country is in when all some of the numbsculls on this site do is make funny (the think so ) remarks about any tragedy..I thought this was for intelligent people to air their views in a positive way..Looks like there are a lot of posts coming from a mad house.. Some of the remarks go way behind normality and I am surprised that some of them are accepted. Its not funney when your loved ones are involved in anyything like this accident. One day you may find this out you numpties..God works in mysterious ways..remember that..