A five-year-old child died in Bengaluru after a school bus allegedly ran over the young child and left parents and local residents in shock when it happened in a very tragic accident.
Such tragedies have once again raised doubts about school transport safety and we need to be safer as well as for schools to be more watchful about who does what in the school bus and how safe it is to take care of children.
The child was under the wheels of the school bus at the time of the accident, early yesterday, police said.
The impact was fatal even before emergency medical attention was able to get the call in. Police officials were on the scene as soon as they could and started trying to determine the cause.
People living in the area recalled panic and chaos immediately following the accident. Parents, school staff, and locals converged at the site to contain the situation.
After the child’s death, the body was sent for post-mortem examination in court as part of its legal investigation.
The bus driver might not have noticed the child before it moved, investigators found.
But officials have not confirmed the exact sequence of events, and investigators were looking at CCTV footage, witness accounts, and the condition of the vehicle to determine if negligence was the cause of the accident.
Police have questioned the driver and are checking whether school transportation safety protocols are being followed.
They are also checking if the vehicle had all the safety features required for school bus travel.
Parents are grieving and outraged, and many are calling for more robust school transport safety guidelines to be enforced.
Children are especially vulnerable around buses because they are shorter and not visible to drivers, said one resident.
Schools need to be sure attendants are present while children board and exit buses and that drivers take great care in school zones, she said.
Road safety experts have long emphasized that school buses should be closely watched, especially where children are very young
Designated pick-up and drop-off zones, speed limits, trained attendants, and regular driver training can help reduce the risk of such incidents in general.
School management is expressing sympathy to the bereaved family and is committed to being involved in the investigation.
Students and staff members will be provided with counseling services.
The tragic loss has once again made it clear the need for stronger child safety measures in and around schools.
The investigation is still ongoing to determine if any lapses in safety procedures could be responsible for the tragic accident.
Police have asked the public not to speculate until the investigation ends.
What happens to some of these buses will help lead to future legal action and could also catalyze new discussions on school transportation safety standards in Bengaluru and Karnataka.
The death of a child is painful to see and a momentary lapse in attention can have permanent consequences. Parents, schools, transport operators, and authorities all have a duty to make sure every child gets to and from school safely.
