Over 3,500 accidents last year involved vehicles belonging to the Brussels public transport operator STIB, and many parents now view trams and buses as the greatest risk to the safety of their children in the city.
In just one weekend in December, Schaerbeek was shaken by two severe traffic accidents: on Saturday (14 December), a pedestrian was struck by a STIB bus, and on Sunday a similar incident occurred involving a STIB tram.
"These are exceptional cases but they highlight the challenges that come with the success of our public transport system," said Brussels MP Martine Raets (Open VLD), who requested the figures from outgoing Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen).
"Many parents are concerned. When asked about the biggest safety risks for their children in the city, they often point directly to buses and trams," she said. While accidents are often caused by external factors such as reckless behaviour by other road users or unforeseen situations, the numbers remain troubling, Raets stressed.
54 million kilometres
STIB recorded 3,593 accidents involving one of its vehicles in 2023 – equivalent to 0.638 accidents per 10,000 kilometres travelled. These incidents resulted in injuries to 203 people, including passengers, STIB staff, and third parties.
Last year, STIB vehicles covered nearly 54 million kilometres – "more than to the moon and back every week," STIB spokesperson Laurent Vermeersch told The Brussels Times.
As the public transport operator only compiles accident figures after a full year, those for 2024 are not yet available. "This is the only way we can compare properly. There can always be a sudden surge of accidents, so it is dangerous to draw conclusions too quickly," Vermeersch said.
Credit: Belga
He stressed that STIB remains committed to safety. "We do this with annual awareness campaigns to the general public and a constant focus on defensive driving behaviour in our drivers' training. We also have several safety managers who minutely analyse all accidents and can make recommendations to reduce the risk of accidents."
"It is clear that STIB takes safety seriously and reports incidents accurately, but we cannot afford to be complacent," Raets said. "The Parliament must continue to monitor these figures to ensure that safety in our densely populated city's traffic remains a top priority. Brussels deserves public transport that is not only efficient but also safe."
Raets called for regular reporting and a continuous focus on improvements. "This concerns the safety of thousands of passengers, as well as everyone moving through the city on foot or by bike. We cannot ignore this issue."
