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It is collective responsibility of govt, schools, parents, transport owners and drivers -DC

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru 

Mangaluru, Jun 25: When will the safety rules for school vehicles will be implemented? And how it will be done? Every time there is a major accident takes place, action by authorities begins. But after a while, safety rules are abandoned and we tend to go back to the same old world where there is no regard for even the small and easy-to-follow measures.

Dakshina Kannada deputy commissioner, A B Ibrahim has informed that safety measures for school vehicles will be implemented by July 10. But are we really putting an end to old habits and follow the rules in true letter and spirit of law?

Present scenario

While many students in metropolitan cities are ferried to school in buses, students in small cities mainly depend on overcrowded auto rickshaws or mini-vans to go to school. Many factors like lack of connectivity and school bus facility have made travel by these modes of transport inevitable.

A large number of school vans or auto rickshaw drivers do not comply with the safety guidelines mandated under the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, 2012. Many drivers take up to 20 children. While parents want to reduce the transport cost, the drivers tend to overload the vehicle to make a profit. The major violation of law is allowing more children than the seating capacity. Rules specify that if the age of the schoolchildren is below 12, the number of children carried cannot exceed one-and-a-half times the permitted seating capacity and children above 12 are treated as one person.

Trasi tragedy

Following the accident at Trasi in Udupi district, which claimed the lives of eight children, authorities have begun checks on vehicles ferrying children. The question here is why we wait to take action until something happens? Why not take precautions and abide by the rules in advance. This is not the first incident. In the past a fatal accident had occurred at Gurpur, Ullaibettu and some other places. There had been checking and actions had been taken in the wake of these incidents. It is not only overcrowding which is the cause of these accidents. Rash driving and breaking of traffic rules are also some other
reasons.

Safety rules

The district administration had convened a meeting on the steps to be taken on safety of school vehicles. Vehicles carrying school children to be painted yellow, auto rickshaws carrying students to and from schools can carry a maximum of six children aged below 12 whereas Maruti Omni vehicles can carry a maximum of eight children. Children above 12 years should be carried as per the seating capacity of the concerned vehicles. 'On school duty' board should be displayed in front and behind if vehicles are taken on rent. Each vehicle should have first aid boxes, should be fitted with speed governors, should have uniform grills, fire emergency kit, school's name and telephone numbers prominently displayed on vehicles, reliable locks and an attendant to mind the children. These rules were formed and the concerned parties were notified about the same.

Authorities speak

Speaking to Daijiworld.com ACP (traffic) Uday Nayak said, "We have been taking strict action against the auto rickshaws and mini-vans carrying school children which are violating rules. The drive has continued today as well and about 120 cases have been registered which includes parents taking their children on two wheelers without a helmet as well. Schools have to provide school buses or cabs but since many schools do not have such facilities, they should at least be able to identify the vehicles which carry the children to school and provide them with a board which clearly mentions the school's name like ‘on ABC school duty'. But most of the schools are not ready to take up the responsibility and nor are they allowing these vehicles to enter their campus. We have already issued a notice to these schools in this regard. The district administration will convene a meeting with the school authorities and the owners of auto rickshaws and mini-vans which carry school children."

Speaking to Daijiworld.com, A B Ibrahim said, "I have already convened a meeting on this regard and rules and regulations hav been drafted. We have already informed all schools and concerned parties to implement these rules by July 10. Thereafter any violation will be strictly dealt with. It is not only the duty of the government to implement these rules and regulations. It is a collective responsibility of all school authorities, parents and school transport owners and drivers to follow the rules."