Mangaluru: Mangaluru City traffic police organised a special awareness programme on school bus safety at the Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall on Wednesday, with around 600 school bus drivers, owners, managers and representatives of school managements from various schools in the city participating.The programme focused on the legal requirements, road safety measures, traffic rules and responsibilities that school bus drivers and attendants must follow to ensure the safe transportation of children.School managements were urged to strictly adhere to prescribed safety standards for school vehicles, closely monitor the duties of drivers and attendants, and take all necessary precautionary measures to ensure the safety of students. Police warned that legal action will be taken against school bus drivers found violating traffic rules. Participants were administered a road safety and traffic rules pledge.DCP (crime and traffic) K Ravi Shankar stressed the need for schools and colleges to ensure compliance with the Karnataka Motor Vehicles (Conditions for Vehicles Engaged in Transport of School Children) Rules, 2012. The school cab safety committees were asked to verify the authenticity of vehicle and driver documents, and ensure that vehicles have valid fitness certificates and insurance, fire extinguishers, speed governors and closed bodies. School vehicles must also adhere to the prescribed maximum speed limit of 40 kmph, the DCP said.Officials from the regional transport department said that only vehicles with valid permits should be used to transport schoolchildren, and urged schools to ensure compliance with other prescribed safety measures.Education department officials advised school managements to regularly hold meetings involving teachers, school bus owners and drivers, and parents to discuss and strengthen measures concerning student safety.ACP (traffic subdivision) Najma Farooqi, urged drivers to not only follow traffic regulations, but also discharge their duties with discipline and responsibility, while ensuring the safety of children.Traffic police station inspectors from across Mangaluru city, and officials from the education department were present.
