Traffic has launched a new School transport surveillance campaign to be maintained during this week. According to data from the Observatory of Road Passenger Transport, school buses displace more than 280 million passengers annually, and taking into account this figure, I think the campaign is more justified (although I think it will be insufficient).
The Civil Guard Traffic Association agents will intensify the inspections, verifying that the authorizations and documents that these vehicles must have are correct for the provision of the service; that the technical conditions and safety elements of the vehicle are those required by the regulations, and that the driver meets the special requirements in terms of driving license or driving and rest times. When one learns that half a million students use a school bus every day to get to and from school and approximately 17,000 buses (40% of the entire private bus fleet) circulate on school transportation routes; He cannot help feeling a certain unease when he imagines all those children moving every school day, without many parents even knowing if the vehicles are equipped with the necessary safety measures.
However, the annual accident figures reflect that school transport is a safe sector, since last year there was no fatality in the 44 accidents involving victims, which resulted in a serious injury and 50 minor injuries
School bus accidents
The main causes of accidents in which these types of vehicles are involved are inadequate speed and distractions. In addition, it is proven that at 50 km / h, the chances of a child surviving without any safety measure is virtually nil and that even at low speed their survival is not guaranteed.
90% of accidents that occur during school transport take place at the time of getting on or off the vehicle, or just in the immediate moments. In many cases, they are abuses caused by distraction of the child, the driver of the school transport or the parents
And what about security devices?
During inspections, special attention will be given to seat belt use in those coaches that have it installed. The Community Directive, transposed to our legal system, establishes that since October 2007, registration is denied to any bus that does not have the restraint systems installed.
AdvertisingDespite these regulations, only two out of five coaches that carry out school transport (38%) have seat belts installed, according to the Spanish Business Federation of Passenger Transportation (Asintra). Two out of five ... is not a very encouraging fact, right?
From Traffic, remember that the seat belt is useful in any short or long, urban or interurban route and that in the school bus its use is life. A minor without any type of retention multiplies by 5 the chances of suffering fatal injuries and nine out of ten serious or fatal childhood injuries could have been avoided if this type of device had been used.
Regarding other safety devices, as of 2013, all new trucks and buses in the European Union must have an emergency braking system that activates automatically when it detects the possibility of a collision (ah! But is that did not have this system yet?).
School transport safety is everyone's responsibility
As road safety affects all people either because they are drivers, passengers or pedestrians and we can all contribute in some way to reduce accidents in this type of transport, the DGT recommends:
- To the companies in the sector:
1.-The renewal of the bus park, which will imply the commissioning of new vehicles that equip the latest technological advances in passive safety.
2.-They must remind passengers of the importance of use the belt when the vehicle has them.
3.-Develop a security protocol, to inform passengers about how to behave in the event of an accident.
4.- Projection before or during the journey of safety advice in audiovisual format. The journey from home to school or vice versa is a good time to offer children driver education classes.
I believe that these recommendations should be taken as if they were binding, and in this sector there should be an awareness of the risk that exceeds the economic benefits of the company.
- To the users:
5.- Whenever possible, they should choose coaches that incorporate seat belts.
6.- Stay in your seatsDo not distract the driver and do not push other children when getting on or off the bus.
- To the parents:
7.-Parent associations must check the safety of school transport buses. According to a survey conducted by the Audi Attitudes Corporate Responsibility Program in 2009, 23% of the parents surveyed did not know whether or not the bus where their children were traveling was wearing a seat belt.
8.-Ask the center for hiring coaches with belts.
9.-Check that a monitor accompanies the children during the journey.
In order to raise awareness about the desirability of leaving private vehicles on these journeys for subsidiary use, the DGT included in the Strategic Road Safety Plan 2011-2020, promoting the safe school path. With this measure basic itineraries to and from school will be selected so that school trips could be made safely on foot, bicycle or public transport, leaving the private vehicle for subsidiary use in this type of travel.
It is very important that parents know how to defend our interests, so during these days we will listen to radio spots asking us to inform ourselves if the school bus where our children are traveling has a child restraint or belt and if these carry it properly buckled. Our responsibility must continue throughout the year, even if the children do not go to school by coach, because we all know that when there are excursions or departures they do use this means of transport.
