School bus supervisors should check vehicles at the end of every trip to ensure no child remains on board, while schools should alert parents if a student is absent or fails to board, according to safety guidelines shared by the UAE’s Ministry of Interior.
The advice forms part of the ministry’s “Safe Roads for Our Students” campaign, launched through the Federal Traffic Council in September. The four-month initiative aims to improve school transport safety and raise awareness of safe practices among students, parents, bus drivers and supervisors.
Checks after every journey
In its guidance for bus supervisors, the ministry advised staff to assist children when boarding and disembarking, monitor their behaviour during the journey, and record absences for reporting to the school administration.
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Supervisors should also inspect the bus at the end of each trip to ensure no students remain inside.
School administrations have been advised to designate safe boarding and drop-off areas, monitor students and transport staff, and inform parents of any concerns relating to their child’s safety.
Schools should also notify families if a student is absent or does not board the bus.
Parents urged to stay reachable
Parents should accompany children to the bus waiting area and ensure a designated person is present to receive them when they return.
Families are also advised to maintain regular communication with the school and bus supervisor, and remain available to receive calls regarding their child’s journey.
The campaign advises students to reach the waiting area five minutes before the bus arrives, remain calm during the journey and avoid distracting the driver.
After getting off, students should move 10 steps away from the bus to avoid the risks associated with standing close to it as it moves.
Daily inspections and seat belts
Drivers should inspect their buses daily to ensure they are roadworthy and stop in safe locations when picking up or dropping off students.
They should not move the vehicle until all children have safely boarded or disembarked. Students should remain seated and wear their seat belts during the journey.
Drivers have also been advised to activate the bus’s “Stop” sign whenever they stop for children to get on or off.
Fines for ignoring stop signs
Motorists must come to a complete stop in both directions when a school bus’s stop arm is extended.
Failure to comply carries a Dh1,000 fine and 10 traffic points. School bus drivers who fail to activate the stop sign face a Dh500 fine and six traffic points.
Source: Khaleej Times
