More than 150 people were trapped between the doors of public transport vehicles in 2018 after attempting to jump on board after the departing beep.
Out of 417.6 million trips, figures released by STIB/MIVB show that in 2018 there were 157 reported incidents of commuters being squashed by the closing doors of a metro train, tram or bus.
In a new awareness campaign, STIB urges passengers to adopt the "correct reflexes" and choose to wait for the next branch instead of taking a "major risk."
"Rushing to try and squeeze past the closing doors of a tram is dangerous, STIB risk and safety officer Amal Kammachi said. "Even more so if weather conditions (...) or a crowded platform obstructs the driver's view."
"Even if you are in a hurry, it is not worth risking a major accident," the company wrote in an online statement, adding: "The frequency of the metro and tram during rush hour is so high that you only have to wait a few minutes for the next metro or tram."
Transport vehicles are equipped with a safety system which causes the doors to open back up if something becomes stuck in between, but objects that are too fine can go undetected, the online statement warned.
The campaign also notes that, in addition to the safety risks, travellers who attempt to get on board a vehicle after the closing doors signal also cause delays and negatively impact traffic on the network.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
