Just a few months ago, the city police conducted a training programme for over 150 bus drivers from Bangalore schools, following the death of three-year-old Mohammed Faisal after he came under the wheels of his school bus.
Instead of rushing the injured child to hospital, the panic-stricken driver simply hoisted him into the bus and fled the spot. Without timely medical care, the child died. Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.A. Saleem said had the driver taken Faisal to hospital, there was a chance he could have survived. Following the incident, the traffic police issued circulars to all schools to send their drivers for a training session to sensitise them.
A curriculum module prepared by experts for bus, van and autorickshaw drivers includes all aspects of safety, from driving skills to how to deal with children. Apart from this, the policemen on duty in and around the school zone had been asked to station themselves during school timings to help the children board and alight the bus and generally keep and eye on them, Mr. Saleem said.
CBSE guidelines
In June this year, the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) came up with a set of guidelines for school buses. It mandates that school buses be painted yellow preferably, use proper fixtures and that regular checks are conducted on the status of the drivers, including detailed background check. It also includes guidelines for drivers: for instance, it mentions that no school bus ferrying students should overtake vehicles on the road.
