Number of school bus accidents drops this year

INDORE: At least one person died and 21 were injured this year in school bus accidents, show figures released by traffic police. Though number of accidents and deaths have dropped as compared to 2012, safety of students travelling in school buses continue to be in doldrums as a number of buses still do not follow the Supreme Court guidelines.
Figures show at least 34 school bus accidents took place this year, against 58 in 2012.Of the 21 injured this year, four were seriously injured. Last year, 43 people were injured, of which two sustained grievous injuries. School bus accidents escalated in 2012 as compared to 48 in 2011.
While the traffic department said it penalizes school buses and private vehicles ferrying children for violating traffic rules and standard norms, the regional transport officer (RTO) has failed to cancel fitness of school buses, which do not comply with the SC guidelines, including installing speed governors in buses.
Besides, security concerns in school buses, sources said nearly 500 private vehicles (Maruti vans,Magic vans) ferrying school children are reportedly plying without permit. Traffic police sources said most of these vehicles are commercially used without even following basic norms.
Though traffic police has apprehended over 100 such vans and imposed heavy fine, RTO has neither cancelled registration of a single vehicle nor licence of the driver. ASP traffic police Anjana Tiwari said accidents of school buses have decreased this year, but security issues continue to haunt school children. "Our priority is to ensure safety of children, but it is not the responsibility of just traffic police or RTO. Department concerned like school education should also intervene to check security measures in school buses," she said. Sources informed despite receiving notice from the RTO, only few schools have started the process of installing speed governors.