New advanced training for all State Transit bus drivers could have prevented the horror smash on Spit rd late last year, State Transit chief executive John Lee has said.

About 700 drivers on the northern beaches would be trained with the new technology that records driving performance in real time, it was announced yesterday.

The technology, developed by Vigil Systems, included an on board simulator, or laptop computer, that would act as a driver tracking device.

Four cameras, on the front  and sides of the bus, would film the driver and a software program would compile a performance report.

Speaking to the Daily yesterday, Mr Lee said the training was a "great preventative tool" for accidents and as the one that occurred on November 14 on Spit Rd last year.

Linda Duke from Seaforth was trapped for 90 minutes when her black Peugeot was struck by a bus after it crossed the median strip into the southbound lanes.

Spit Hill was also blocked to traffic for several hours as people struggled to reach home after work.

Transport Minister John Watkins, who announdced the initiative, said the technology would measure "if a driver brakes too heavily, accelerates too aggresively or corners harshly".

"It records all these events and a detailed analysis of the trip is compiled," he said.

Mr Watkins said each bus driver would complete one day of classroom theory before taking to the road.

"And that's where the technology comes in," he said.

"The driver can then watch their actions on replay - a bit like going to the video referee for a second look to see what they may have done well or what in hindsight they would do differently next time."

Files: pdfhigh-tech.pdf