BUS stops in Singapore are safe - but waiting commuters must still play theirpart.That means standing away from the kerb and behind concrete barriers or bollards.

Such safety concerns arose following an accident last week when a car swerved and crashed into bus stop along Penang Road, injuring five women.

The Land Transport Authority said it will install bollards at 400 bus stops, in addition to those already at 1,500 others.

Mr Joseph Yee, a retired traffic planner with more than 30 years' experience,told The Straits Times that roads have "inherent features to make them safe".

For one thing, kerbs which separate the walkways from the roads "should, under normal conditions, be able to confine vehicles to the road".

He agreed that bus stops may be "slightly more risky" spots compared to other locations when it comes to traffic accidents.But that is simply a case of "exposure". Many passengers often wait there, he said.

Another concern is that the removal of concrete separators at bus stops may have increased the risk of accidents as it could mean drivers not slowing down when moving into bus bays.

But Mr Yee emphasised that bus bays and concrete separators are primarily designed to ensure that buses do not obstruct other vehicles.

"They were never meant to give protection in the first place," he said.

Commuters too felt it is the bad habits of both pedestrians and drivers that may endanger lives.

Student Chris Lim, 16, said he often sees students lean against the bollards,not stand behind them, and even spill onto the bus bay when the bus stop gets crowded.

"No one wants to stand back because they don't want to miss the bus. And it has become so common," he said. Reckless drivers are often at fault, said Mr Ricky Lim, a road safety ambassador and president of the National University of Singapore Motoring Club.

"Many Singaporean drivers seem to think they can race on roads, like what they see on TV," he said.

Mr Lim said he had seen some bus stops in China fitted with full metal barricades.

"But I've seen concrete barriers go flying when a car at high enough speed crashes through them, much less a metal barrier," he said.

Research executive Magdalene Teo, 25, said she was once on a bus which careered around a corner so sharply, it mounted a kerb."Anyone standing on that kerb would have been knocked down," she said.

Police spokesman Danny Tan advised road users to be "alert" at all times.