The maximum speed limit for minibuses should be 80km per hour when they are driven straight and not over 50km speed when turning, a traffic safety expert has stressed.
Installing speed governors, ensuring that passengers wear seat belts and having attendants onboard are some of the measures to reduce accidents involving school buses, he observed.
The expert was referring to the death of a five-year-old Indian boy last Thursday when Sarvodaya Nursery’s van
overturned.
He urged all concerned to avoid mini-vans as much as possible for school transportation.
“Considering that the safety and comfort of passengers must come first and the ride and handling of minibuses are usually of a lower standard than cars, it is often better to cruise at a reduced speed,” he pointed out.
Several parents also have raised concerns saying that some schools have outsourced their transportation and many drivers are not properly trained in handling the children.
The official suggested that schools must try to avoid minibuses as much as possible for the transportation of the children. “The minibuses should not speed over 80km when driven straight. They have small tyres which cannot handle sharp turns at high speeds. The vehicle should not be driven over 50 km speed when they are taking the turns. Otherwise, there is a chance that the vehicle might overturn.”
The official pointed out that it is important that all school buses should have an attendant onboard and the children must be instructed to use the seat belt.
“If you find seat belts in the vehicle, they have to be used. So, all the children must be advised to use the seat belts, especially the little ones. This will prevent such tragedies as in the case of the child last week. The assistant in the vehicle must be trained to ensure that the children wear seat belts, as the driver alone
cannot do it,” he added.
The official was of the view that installing speed governors on school buses can bring down cases of speeding as the gadget will not allow the vehicle to go beyond the set limit.
Parents of students at several schools told Gulf Times that the school bus drivers do not follow many rules and do not take adequate measures to ensure the safety of the children.
A parent said, “Everyday, I go to drop and collect my children from their school and see bus drivers resort to several means to overtake those who drive cars and other small vehicles. Schools must look into these problems seriously.”
Another parent observed that some bus drivers do not care about other drivers. “Many such drivers just drive along without bothering about other vehicles and squeeze through the pocket roads making it highly inconvenient for other drivers,” he added.