Stop for students
I live in Houston and would like to make a suggestion for school buses ("5-year-old dies in school bus tragedy", Gulf News, March 5). We have a safe system here because when the bus stops, a stop sign protrudes from the vehicle and as per the law, all cars behind the bus are required to wait until students leave the bus and cross the road. If not, they receive a ticket with a very high penalty, which no judge ever dismisses. This way, a serious message is sent out to motorists - that they must not cross the bus when its stop sign has been activated. I hope the authorities in the UAE also use this procedure, as it will help immensely.
From Mr Zayed Sultan
Texas, USA
Huge burden
After the traumatic accident that caused her to lose her child, Yasmin Ramadan's mother consoled herself. But why couldn't the school find supervisors for the bus? Does this mean nobody ever took the job or have they reduced their staff to cut down on expenses? This places the burden of managing so many children on the driver. There must always be a supervisor on board to ensure children are at a safe place before the bus moves. This is elementary knowledge for the school authorities.
From Mr Mohammad Shamsheer
Dubai
Sensors needed
The death of the little girl was shocking, and I pray that her soul rests in peace and she enters paradise. It seems that we just do not learn our lesson from such incidents - we must find solutions to avoid the death of innocent children. I highly recommend that every school install parking censors on all their vehicles, so that the sensor can beep if anyone or anything is obstructing the bus. This way, the bus driver can be alerted if someone is standing in front or behind the bus, and thereby avoid an accident.
From Mr Mohammad Khan
Dubai
Schools to blame
The problem with accidents such as the recent one involving Yasmin is that schools are careless in their recruitment process. They must hire responsible bus supervisors, whose job should be primarily to make sure children enter and leave the bus and head home safely. The accident could have been avoided if a bus supervisor was appointed the task of making sure the girl was a safe distance away. I think the responsibility lies mainly on the school management. It seems all they really care about is the monetary benefits of providing an education, rather than the safety of students.
From Mr Hany
Dubai
Full name withheld by request
Educating drivers
The school authorities should take on sole responsibility for the accident, as they did not ensure that their drivers received adequate training in safeguarding the lives of young children. The danger of children being injured in such accidents is common and there are courses specifically aimed at educating bus drivers to avoid such catastrophes.
From Mr Zeeshan Dogar
Ontario, Canada
No compromise
The article about the accident involving the little girl was shocking. I think the Ministry of Education must consider this matter and strictly ensure that there are bus supervisors on every school bus. This is a matter that must be tackled without any compromise, as the safety of children is extremely important.
From Mr Yahya Jeelani
Dubai
School tragedy
I am sure that the news about the bus accident came as a shock and was unbearable for all parents in UAE. I think the authorities are to blame for this tragedy, along with the bus driver. Every week, government officials should make it a priority to visit schools, observe their conduct for boarding and leaving the bus, and then implement strict safety rules, as needed. We do not want another tragedy like this.
From Mr Saqeer Seera Valappil
Dubai
Double check
Having read the article about the five-year-old who was killed, I would like to double check on whether the Ministry of Education truly requires school buses to have bus supervisors on board. If this is true, then what are they doing about it?
From A Reader
Dubai
Name withheld by request
Cautionary measure
The death of the young girl in the recent bus accident forces me to ask if there is any chance that school buses in the UAE could be fitted with stop signs, as they are in the US? More cautionary procedures should be established so that the bus moves only once the children are a safe distance away.
From A Reader
Ohio, USA
Name withheld by request
A parent's grief
I am upset every time I read about school children becoming victims of brutal road accidents. It makes us parents quite nervous and gives us a feeling of insecurity all the time. Since most parents in the UAE work, they rely on bus drivers, housemaids and other caretakers to help protect their children from harm. I think it is high time the school management becomes more cautious regarding safety in buses.
Also, children should be dropped off at their respective homes rather than across the street. Saying sorry doesn't bring back a lost child or ease a parent's grief.
From Ms Bindu Sandeep
UAE
Safety devices
Lately, we have been reading about more and more accidents in which innocent children have been injured or were killed.
It is alarming and I hope school buses will be equipped with more safety devices in the future. A great deal of responsibility lies with the driver, but having a suitable safety device in place can assist in avoiding such accidents. I sincerely suggest that the authorities make sure buses are equipped with large mirrors positioned in such a way that they allow the driver to see what is happening in front of them. Alarm systems or warning devices are also necessary.
From Ms Rudi Eller