Risky ride to school and back, Death of four-year-old girl in Karnataka

Karnataka: The recent untimely death of a four-year-old student who was flung out of her school bus in Bengaluru has once again brought into focus the safety of children travelling to and from school. Small children have been run over by the very buses they alight from, and school buses have been involved in accidents, putting children at risk. 

Often, school buses park on residential roads, and cause traffic jams on arterial roads, sparking complaints from the public. All this and more has kept school transport in focus in cities across Karnataka. While the government has put in place a number of rules regarding school buses, the safety factor continues to cause concern as there exists little or no regulation. 

Parents who are unable to personally drop their children to schools rely on outside support and make use of transport provided by schools or dedicated government buses, or resort to private services. School transport, though expensive, becomes the best option as reliance on government services means that not all routes are covered, and students might have to make the rest of their journey on foot or find a second means of transport. This makes private transport popular, as it is cheap and reliable, despite the safety concerns.

It’s a common sight to see white tempos doubling as school vans, and mini vans and autorickshaws packed with schoolchildren. While they portray a happy memory of childhood, they also underline the need for stricter regulations and guidelines in the transportation of children.

These issues are common in all districts in the state. In Hassan, only a few reputed



educational institutions own and have sufficient transport facilities. Prominent institutions also tend to give better service that satisfies parents by appointing experienced drivers, conductors and assistants to take care of them. The vehicles are also well-maintained, mitigating the risk factor. 

A maximum number of schools in the district leave it to parents to either ferry their own children or use private vehicles like mini vans, autorickshaws or multi-utility vehicles. These vehicles have only drivers, and no assistants or cleaners to accompany the children. It means that if the driver is negligent, it could result in children sustaining minor and major injuries while boarding or alighting, and parents are anxious until their children return home. 

Interestingly, the five-seater Maruti Omni is the preferred mode of transport and constitutes the bulk of private vehicles transporting children in Hassan. Nearly 65 Maruti Omnis and over 35 autorickshaws are part of the pick up and drop private service in Hassan city. The driver often has to accommodate around 15 children in a van, which puts them in danger.

Parents usually opt for private vehicles or autorickshaws as they are affordable, but do not take precautions like asking about seating capacity, despite the dangers of suffocation in a crowded vehicle.

Suma, a parent, has criticised schools for not having their own transport facilities, stating that private vehicle drivers are usually in a hurry to drop off children and do not pay attention to their safety. She said this issue is also compounded, as there is no bus facility for children in most city extensions.