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Wearing seatbelts mandatory in Abu Dhabi school buses

The new regulations by the School Transport Executive Committee re meant to safeguard students’ travel to and from school and reduce accidents involving children.

It is now mandatory for students to wear seatbelts in school buses, as well as for school bus drivers and supervisors to undergo medical fitness test and training according to new regulations aimed at enhancing the school transportation system in the emirate.

The new regulations by the School Transport Executive Committee - Abu Dhabi, which came into effect on Monday, are meant to safeguard students’ travel to and from school and reduce accidents involving children.

Seat belts

According to the new requirements, existing school buses with 22 seats or less should be fitted with a three-point safety belt, while buses with more than 22 seats should have a two-point safety belt. New buses, regardless of the number of seats, should be equipped with a three-point safety belt prior to registration. Furthermore, special buses for nurseries should also have age-appropriate car seats.

Medical fitness test

School bus drivers are also required to pass a comprehensive medical fitness test that includes vision (visual acuity and colour vision), complete blood count, Hepatitis B surface antigen, fasting glucose, glycated haemoglobin, renal function test, audiometry and electrocardiogram.

Dr Mariam Buti Al Mazrouei, acting CEO of the Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS), said the driver’s medical history of seizures, as well as, indicators for sleep apnea (a sleep disorder that causes fatigue during the day), will also be reviewed. These tests will be carried out at select AHS centres in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region.

The medical certificate is valid for two years; however, a retest for contagious diseases will be required for those returning from holiday out of the UAE. The comprehensive test costs Dh750 while the retest is Dh250.

Training

Another pre-requisite for drivers and supervisors/escorts is training — provided the drivers pass the medical exam — which comprises theoretical and practical courses prepared by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and delivered by the Emirates Driving Company (EDC).

Khaled Al Mansoori, CEO of EDC, said the training comprises different practical programmes.

“One of the elements of the training is how to evacuate students safely (in emergencies); second is how to get them on and off the bus safely and the safe zone of the bus. They will also start emergency cases and first aid. Third, is the defensive driving (training) for the driver — how to drive safely, how to keep a good distance and speed limit,” he said, adding that both drivers and supervisors will also be trained on how to monitor and deal with student behaviour in the bus.

The training is valid for two years and free of charge for the first time, with the cost to be borne by the Abu Dhabi government. However, in case of failure, the operator will bear the cost of subsequent training of their staff.

According to Ali Makki, stakeholder relations manager and chairman of the technical committee at the Department of Transport (DoT), said there are currently between 6,000 to 7,000 school buses distributed between the public (2,000) and private (4,000-5,000) schools in the emirate and about 6,500 drivers and another 6,500 escorts.

“Because this number is large, training will be implemented in stages and gradually,” he said, adding that he expects training to be completed within two years.

High safety standards

Brigadier Engineer Hussein Al Harthi, director of traffic and patrol directorate at Abu Dhabi Police and chairman of the School Transport Executive Committee, stressed the importance of enhancing the school transport service to the highest standards of safety.

“It is our social responsibility and we should not neglect the most important factor, our children, to reach their schools and come back home safely and securely. We stress the importance of availability of escorts and drivers who are qualified and knowledgeable of safety and of their responsibilities.”

He underscored the efforts of the committee to elevate the standard of school transportation in the emirate to become the “number one choice” for parents to deter them from contracting unlicensed and unsecured bus services for their children.

Fines and monitoring

“We will check all deterrents and those who do not adhere and abide by these rules (will be penalised). We will withdraw the operator’s license and confiscate the vehicles in addition to the financial fine on the operator if they do not abide,” warned Brigadier Al Harthi.

To ensure adherence to the regulations, regular inspections and spot-checks will be carried out by Saaed Traffic Systems, to operators, drivers and supervisors/escorts. School buses will also be monitored though the cameras inside and outside the bus, the recordings of which will be saved by the Chamber of the Centre for Traffic Control.

The committee has previously required school buses to comply with its technical specifications, which include installation of cameras, and school bus operators have “fully complied” as of September 2014.

Bus fees

According to Engineer Hamad Al Dhaheri, executive director of private schools and quality assurance at the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec), despite the new requirements for school buses, schools cannot increase fees without Adec approval.

He noted the support of the government to bear the cost on medical and training. “The government has presented its support to alleviate the charges on the schools and the parents, but ultimately the safety of our students is priceless. There are criteria that schools need to justify to increase the transportation fees,” he stressed.

In parallel to the regulatory measures being introduced by the committee, school infrastructure around schools in the Capital is also being developed. These include installing pedestrian crossings, parking facilities and imposing speed limits. -olivia@khaleejtimes.com