So far, public attention during bus accidents has often focused on fleet roadworthiness, road conditions, or traffic violations. However, one crucial aspect that is often overlooked is the physical and psychological health of the driver (pramudi). The existence of modern technology and excellent road infrastructure will mean nothing if the person at the wheel is experiencing fatigue, illness, or mental stress.
Based on data from the Metro Jaya Regional Police Traffic Directorate, throughout 2025 there were 13,184 traffic accident cases, of which about 85 percent were caused by human factors. This was also confirmed by an operational risk analysis by PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) in the same year, which placed physical and psychological health problems as contributing to more than half of the potential risk in bus operations.
Decreased stamina, slow reaction times, loss of concentration, and poor decision-making on the road are often rooted in the driver's unfit medical condition. Amid dense urban traffic, a reaction delay of just a few seconds can be fatal. In addition to physical conditions, psychological pressure from traffic congestion, tight schedule targets, and road conflicts can trigger aggressive actions that endanger passenger safety.
Responding to this issue, Transjakarta's step to collaborate with the Indonesian Occupational Medicine Specialists Association (Perdoki) and the Indonesian Health Psychology Association to draft the Driver's Occupational Health Standards deserves appreciation. This strategic move is considered important because, so far, driver health checks have not been uniform across operators, both in terms of methods and indicators of fitness to drive.
In addition to standardization, the establishment of independent health and psychology clinics within operational environments needs to be realized immediately. These facilities would not merely function as treatment centers, but as early prevention instruments to detect chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disorders, and sleep disorders before drivers go on duty.
This driver health improvement initiative is expected to become a national pilot project. Given that at least 46 local governments have adopted the "buy the service" scheme for public transport, the Ministry of Transportation is expected to adopt this policy into a national regulation to ensure public transportation safety standards throughout Indonesia.
