Minibuses should be banned from school transportation in Qatar and all school buses must be fitted with an electronic tracking system using GPS as enforced in Dubai since Friday, a traffic safety expert and a cross section of parents have demanded in Doha.
Safety on school buses has come to the fore in Qatar following the death of a five-year-old boy on March 17 when a minibus from a private kindergarten overturned in Doha.
“Banning minibuses, installing electronic tracking devices and speed governors in school buses, mandatory use of seat belts and having attendants according to the number of students in a bus, are essential measures to ensure the safety of children,” the expert explained.
Many parents, who spoke to Gulf Times, were of the view that schools should look into the behaviour of the drivers and instruct them “to be rational” while negotiating the roads.
“Drivers of school buses must follow several steps such as avoiding tailgating and unnecessary overtaking while maintaining a safe and moderate speed always,” a parent suggested.
Many schools in Qatar are using a large number of minibuses for the daily transportation of their students. In some cases, children in these vehicles are found not using seat belts.
The traffic safety expert reiterated that the use of minibuses and vans for school transportation is highly unsafe in many ways.
“Minibuses and vans have very small tyres which can’t handle sharp turns at high speeds,” he pointed out while observing that if such a vehicle is over 50km speed while taking turns, there is a strong chance that it may lose balance and overturn. Maximum speed for minibuses should be 80km per hour when they are driven straight.
The electronic tracking system, according to the expert, will help bus drivers, the school management as well as parents. “There will be more safety for the children and the officials concerned can always monitor the vehicles with precision,” he said.
The former head of transport section in a school suggested that bus drivers should be frequently oriented on safety issues and good practices encouraged.
“Many of the drivers may not be aware of some of the safety issues. Therefore, they need to be oriented and there must be incentives for the best performing ones. The same is applicable for the assistants in the buses as it will educate them on several safety practices including the use of seat belts.”
He also felt that the drivers have to thoroughly understand their responsibility. “However smart a driver may be, just a tiny lapse can risk the lives of several children. It is important for the driver to be extremely cautious. He also has to treat other motorists on smaller vehicles with respect,” he added.