The private school cab drivers appointed for students’ pick and drop facility are frequently violating traffic norms, misbehaving with students and are cautioned, penalised /challaned by traffic police officials from time to time, said a student of a top Delhi school, adding, his school cab driver abuses at times and misbehaves with the students.
Owing to reports of negligence on the part of drivers and administrations alike (one such negligence claimed life of a three-year-old boy on Tuesday), more and more parents are opting for private cabs over ‘dedicated’ school buses to ferry their wards.
The Pioneer on Tuesday spoke to a few students and their parents regarding the safety in school buses and vans. Most of the parents complained of overloading cabs, while others felt unhappy with the abusive attitude of drivers.
Unauthorised and private school cabs/vans overloaded with students for the pick and drop facility have always been the most important issue for the safety of students.
Milind, 12, a student of Class VI said, “Most of the time our school cab driver is penalised by traffic police for not following the traffic safety norms. Due to this, we reach late at our homes many time.”
His elder brother, Saurab, 14, student of Class VII said, “Our school cab is so much congested that we don’t get space to sit. There are more students as compared to space requirement,” he said.
Bela Jain, a parent of student at Delhi’s private school said, “There are many incidents, when my child has complained about the issues the school cab driver. However, these cab driver are reluctant to follow safety traffic rules,” she said.
When asked why they have hired private school cab, she said, “Most of the time, there is no availability of school bus. Therefore, we have to hire the private school vans.”
However, traffic police has also set the guidelines for the parents to ensure safety of their children.
A traffic police official said parents are equally responsible for the safety of their children during school journeys. “They must ensure that the mode of transport arranged by school or by themselves is absolutely safe. Parents must play the role of vigilant observers. They should note down violations committed by school buses/cabs/vans and immediately report to the authorities. Parents must participate in parents-teachers meetings (PTMs) and discuss the safety aspects of their children. While taking their children to school themselves, they should take proper care of their safety,” said the official.