MVD waves kids a happy journey in school buses

KOCHI: This academic year, parents need not lose sleep over sending their wards in school  buses. Considering the high number of school bus-related accidents that occurred last year, the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) has decided to take serious efforts to ensure that schools and school bus drivers follow the existing norms. “Meetings of school authorities, school bus  drivers and members of the Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) will be conducted at all schools by the Joint Regional Transport Officers (RTO) of the taluks concerned,” said District Transport Commissioner P A Sainudeen. “The meetings will focus on creating awareness regarding the road safety measures to be adopted. The MVD officials will conduct detailed checks on the school buses to ensure that they do not have any mechanical issues. The officials will also see to it that there are no leaks in buses and that the doors, speed governors and other safety components are in working condition,” he said. Joint RTOs will dictate the steps to be taken by the parents to ensure that their children have a safe trip to and from the schools. “Many private vehicles like mini vans and jeeps also act as the means of transport to  students. The MVD is thinking of ways to include these in the safety programme,” said Sainudeen. Social activist Mukesh Jain of Mattanchery had  earlier launched a major drive to reduce the weight of school bags and stop packing students inside the buses. He had also approached the Kerala Human Rights Commission demanding an environmentally conducive atmosphere in schools.In the wake of a couple of accidents involving school buses, the state government had issued directions preventing overloading. The police, in association with the District Administration, had launched a major initiative ‘Golden Hour’, to create awareness among the drivers of school vehicles.The project was launched in conjunction with the Indian Medical Association and the National Health Rural Mission. The training was given to a group of select drivers operating under the Aluva and Paravoor assistant educational offices. As part of the four-hour-long training sessions theory and practical classes were taken.