School vans flagrantly violate motor vehicle rules, disregard kids’ safety

BENGALURU: In gross violation of motor vehicle rules and Supreme Court directives, an increasing number of school vans with white registration plates and schoolchildren packed beyond capacity are being seen on the city’s roads of late.

Every morning and late afternoon, it is a common sight to see schoolchildren crammed in Maruti Omni vehicles and autorickshaws on their way to school or back home, raising questions about their safety.

Many of these vehicles do not even have proper documents like fitness certificate, insurance, a reality check by Public TV across localities like Malleswaram, Milk Colony, Chamarajpet, Jagjivan Ram Nagar, Srirampura, Rajajinagar has revealed.

A driver admitted that it is against the rules to ply a white board vehicle as a school van.

“Yes, it’s against the rules to ferry children in a white board vehicle, but we are taking the risk of our vehicle being seized”, admitted Kumaresh, a van driver.

When confronted, another driver claimed that all the children in his vehicle were relatives and that he does not even charge for ferrying them to school and back.

The drivers indulge in rash driving, break one-way rules and throw other motor vehicle rules to the wind. Sometimes, even the door of the vehicle is not closed, exposing children to danger.

Autorickshaws are permitted to carry three people, but 8-10 children are packed into the vehicle.

As per the rules laid down for school and college buses, the institution should have a committee to oversee transport and safety; vehicles should be in good condition, should not be over 15 years old, should have permits and all other documents including valid insurance, should have speed governors and should not exceed 40 kmph; vehicle should be painted yellow in colour and should have the words ‘School Van’ in bold on the front and rear; every vehicle should have an attendant to ensure safe embarcation and disembarcation of children.

School vans are supposed to be painted yellow and have the words ‘School Van’ boldly painted in the front and rear.

But, ignoring safety, parents too seem to choose the cheaper option of sending their wards in private vehicles. While there are calls for school managements to also look into the issue, concerned citizens have also called for a crackdown on such vehicles by the traffic police and the Transport Department.