Kerala - Kozhikode   

Move to curb accidents involving school buses

Kozhikode: The city police have issued guidelines to educational institutions in a bid to curb accidents involving school vehicles transporting students.

This was decided at a meeting of Principals of schools convened by the police at the Sree Narayana Hall here on Tuesday. Anup Kuruvilla John, City Police Commissioner; K. Subramanian and Xavier Sebastian, Assistant Commissioners of Police (Traffic); Benny Paul, Motor Vehicles Inspector; were present.

It was decided that buses belonging to or hired by an educational institution should be driven by persons with more than 10 years of driving experience. Besides, the drivers should not have been punished at any time for rash and negligent driving or drink driving. Vehicles should be fitted with speed governors conforming to the prescribed standards for restricting the speed to 40 kmph. An able-bodied attendant for each door should ensure the safe boarding, carriage, and alighting of students. Each door should have a shutter. Vehicles should not be overloaded than the seat-capacity. Hired vehicles should have the name “on school duty” in the front and back of the buses.

First aid box and fire extinguishers have been made mandatory in the vehicles. The buses should also display the name of school and telephone numbers. Separate space should be provided for keeping school bags.

Each educational institution should appoint a senior teacher as school transport safety officer. The officer needs to submit a School Transport Form and submit it to the Regional Transport Officer and Traffic Station. The form is available on the city police website.

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