Conducting safety awareness drives seems to have had little effect on school bus drivers. In a special drive in the city on Monday morning, at least 12 school bus drivers were found to have blood alcohol levels higher than permissible limits. They were among 450 other vehicle drivers booked for the offence.
The Byatarayanapura traffic police found a driver, driving a Siddaganga Public School bus in Chandra Layout, exceeding the alcohol limit. He was on his way to pick up children from their homes when the police detained him and seized the bus. “He has been a school driver for the past 10 years. This is the first time he has been caught on the charge of drunk driving,” Niranjan Kumar, inspector, Byaratayanapura traffic police, said.
A couple of hours later, the Chikpet traffic police intercepted two other school bus drivers en-route to school. The buses belonged to St. Cathedral High School and St. Mary’s school.
They were stopped near Cottonpet Main Road. When they were subjected to the alcometer test, the alcohol level was beyond the permissible limit. The buses were seized and the police alerted the school. The licences of the offenders have been seized and sent to the regional transport offices concerned, with a recommendation for suspension.
S. Girish, DCP West Traffic, said, “Most violators were booked for not wearing bus uniforms or ferrying an excess number of children. Until noon., the police had booked 450 cases. Over 12 vehicles including buses, vans and school autorickshaws were seized. By 2 p.m., our men had conducted another check and nabbed more offenders.”
The special drive which was carried out across West Division from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The traffic police
took out the
special drive across
West division from
6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
