Opinion | Editorials
School buses must be better controlled
As the recent death of girl shows, children's safety is an issue needing urgent attention.
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:53 March 6, 2008
The recent death of a five-year-old schoolgirl under the wheels of her school bus highlights once again the urgency of addressing children's safety on school buses.
The tragic accident should prompt the authorities concerned to take action immediately to ensure that no more injuries or deaths take place in future.
For some time now this problem has existed to varying degrees and occasionally been placed on the agendas of those concerned. But the very fact that it still persists implies that not enough has been done to eliminate it.
Surely, previous deaths have prompted some schools to overview their safety procedures when it comes to pupil transportation. Yet many others also need to comply with the basic standards of safety.
The matter at hand is undoubtedly serious given the thousands of children who use these buses as their only means of transportation.
The problem of safety could only be addressed with an approach that is inclusive of all the concerned authorities such as schools, police and other regulatory authorities.
Hence the means to ending it would require a group effort. Schoolbuses should have their own set of laws and stiff penalties because young lives should never be put at risk.
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