PCV Passenger Safety & Duty of Care 6

Question 1

What is 'duty of care' in the context of PCV operations?

Accepted Answer

The legal and moral obligation to take reasonable steps to avoid acts or omissions that could cause foreseeable harm to passengers

Answer

Simply following the timetable

Answer

Responsibility limited to driving the vehicle safely

Answer

Only applies to vulnerable passengers

Question 2

Why must a PCV driver announce or display the destination correctly?

Accepted Answer

To allow passengers to make informed decisions about boarding — incorrect destinations can mislead passengers

Answer

Only required on long-distance services

Answer

Destination displays are maintained by engineering staff — not the driver's responsibility

Answer

Only required on routes with multiple variants

Question 3

What should a driver do if a passenger becomes sick (vomits) on the vehicle?

Accepted Answer

Stop safely, provide any assistance needed, call control, clean the area if possible, and report the incident — biological material is a health hazard

Answer

Continue the journey and report on return to depot

Answer

Ignore it if the passenger is no longer unwell

Answer

Ask other passengers to assist in cleaning

Question 4

What is the driver's duty of care to passengers waiting at a stop in darkness or poor weather?

Accepted Answer

Deploy the bus correctly to the stop, allow adequate boarding time, ensure the interior is lit, and check for vulnerable passengers needing extra time

Answer

Drive past stops where no shelter is visible

Answer

Only stop at lit shelters

Answer

Reduce dwell time at stops in bad weather to keep to schedule

Question 5

How should a PCV driver respond to a passenger who reports smoke inside the vehicle?

Accepted Answer

Stop the vehicle immediately in a safe place, evacuate all passengers, call emergency services, and do not re-enter until declared safe

Answer

Ask the passenger if the smoke is serious before stopping

Answer

Continue to the next stop before evacuating

Answer

Smoke alarms will alert the driver — no need to stop immediately

Question 6

What is a 'risk assessment' in the context of PCV passenger safety?

Accepted Answer

A systematic process of identifying potential hazards to passengers and putting measures in place to reduce the risk to an acceptable level

Answer

Only required for dangerous goods transport

Answer

An assessment done annually by the operator without driver involvement

Answer

A financial assessment of accident liability