N bit-collision circuits of a collision detection circuit each include a bit-collision circuit driver connected to drive an x-th line of the common collision detection bus if the x-th line of the station's corresponding identifier signal is at a low level. The bits of the identifier signal are only provided to the bit-collision circuit drivers while an enable signal is asserted. The driver has an open-collector-type connection to the x-th line of the common collision detection bus. That is, the bit-collision circuit driver, when not driving, presents a high impedance at its output. Each bit-collision circuit further includes an XOR device for use in comparing the level of the x-th line of the collision bus with the level of the x-th bit of the station's identifier signal. A NOR device is for combining receives the comparison results from the XOR devices of the bit-collision circuits and provides a combined bit-collision result. A global collision indication line driver has an open-collector-type output interface to a global collision indication line. The global collision indication line driver is coupled to receive the local collision result signal. If the local collision result signal has a low level, the global collision indication line driver drives its output onto the global collision indication line. Otherwise, the global collision indication line driver presents a high impedance at its output.