The Top Dos and Don'ts of Using Public Transport Safely

Hint: always check for oncoming traffic.

This post is presented in partnership with Transperth.

Let’s be real: public transport is a great way to get to work, school or anywhere else you need to be (and it also ain’t bad for the back pocket).

Of course, staying safe on public transport is crucial. While safety should be pretty straightforward, there are some unknown dangers you may not have considered.

So, we’ve teamed up with Transperth to explain how you can use public transport safely, from walking to catch the bus to your actual journey. 

Here are some high-key dangerous situations to avoid. 

When it comes to public transport, the most important thing you need to consider is yours and other people’s safety. To do that, you need to be aware of a few things.

When you’re getting on or off a bus or train, or even crossing the street, don’t be sucked into the deep depths of your phone.

This can become a super dangerous distraction, especially if you're too engrossed in social media to see a bus coming your way. 

We spoke to David Hynes from Transperth who explained that while dangerous accidents like this don’t happen very often, young people tend to get hurt the most.

“One of the recurring problems we have is people—and predominantly young people—will get off the bus looking at their phone and as the bus pulls off, they walk around from behind it to cross the road and are not paying attention,” he told Student Edge over the phone.

“Buses are really big beasts, as are trains, so it might not happen very often but when it does happen it can be really quite traumatic.

“As far as we’re concerned, one instance of someone getting hurt while they’re using public transport is one too many.”

One of the most common accidents that happen: getting into a dangerous situation by stepping onto the road without checking for oncoming traffic.

To prevent this, you want to avoid being on your phone, blasting music too loudly in your ears, doing anything that’ll take your attention away from potential hazards, and forgetting to watch out for buses, trains and cars.

How you can make catching public transport safer.

If you want to ensure your next trip on the bus or train is as safe as possible, there’s a few things you should keep in mind.

To start off with, it’s always best to plan your route with Transperth by checking the timetables or using the live tracking service on the Transperth app.

"This is particularly for people who might be a bit more vulnerable. Rather than having to be waiting around at a bus stop at night for half an hour because the bus or train is delayed, check your timetables before you go," David says.

With the Transperth app, you can plan your journey and track your service in real time, so you’ll never miss a bus or train again (and you’ll avoid frantically crossing the road in a panic).

It's also essential to keep your personal items safe and away from other people or walkways (yes, even your massive school backpack). 

By tucking your bag in-between your legs or slightly under the seat, you'll avoid having anything stolen, while also making sure there's more room for other passengers. 

As a side note, you'll want to make sure you take full advantage of your SmartRider card. Not only will this allow you to get way cheaper fares (at least half the price of a regular fare), but it will also ensure that you always have enough money to get from A to B.

"Students [in Perth] have access to the best card in Australia and one of the best cards in the world," David tells us.

"Make sure you’ve got enough money on it. The sensible thing to do is to set up autoload so it’s a set and forget."

Additionally, you can still use your phone on the bus or train, just make sure your attention is on your primary task: getting where you need to go safely.

You can learn more about Transperth here.

Header Image: mixetto via Getty Images