School bus safety is focus of Abu Dhabi transport exhibition

Experts at the two-day Natrans exhibition, supported by the UAE Federal Transport Authority, highlighted the need for technology monitor driver behaviour and movement of buses to enhance road safety and prevent accidents.

Emergency services attend the scene of a crash in Abu Dhabi last September that left 47 people, mostly school children, injured. Two school buses and a public bus collided on Khaleej Al Arabi Street. Show more

ABU DHABI // Ensuring school bus drivers are properly trained, vehicles maintained and monitored are key to keeping students safe.

Experts at the two-day Natrans Expo, supported by the Federal Transport Authority, highlighted the need for technology to monitor driver behaviour and movement of buses to enhance road safety and prevent accidents.

Last month, 47 people were injured – two seriously – when two school buses and a public bus collided near Mussaffah bridge in the early morning rush hour.

The school buses were operated by Al Dhafra Private School and Belvedere British School in Mohammed bin Zayed City. The crash was due to driver inattention, speeding, and the two vehicles driving too close to each other, according to Abu Dhabi Police.

“To track the movement of vehicles telematics, which are also known as the black boxes in vehicles, should be in place,” Thomas Edelmann, founder of Road Safety UAE said. “There are systems available to monitor speed, space between vehicles, and harsh acceleration or braking, but are not yet mandatory. It must be mandated by the government.

“We do not want it to be a prerogative of the school transport providers, but we are pushing for a legal enforcement to help protect the kids.”

Drivers should also undergo tests and analysis to identify high-risk individuals.

“We have to take these drivers aside and train them specifically,” said Mr Edelmann.

However, technology is not a “silver bullet” said Brodie von Berg, head of sales and marketing at MiX Telematics Middle East and Asia.

“What’s needed is a strong transport management system that focuses on safety. So how do we use training with technology to identify the poor drivers to re-train them? How do we use technology to plan our routes and monitor our drivers? How do we use video to gain insight into what’s happening when something goes wrong? So it’s a combination of these and managing the system and technology.”

Speed limiters are already mandatory to prevent school buses from travelling faster than 80kmph, said ML Augustine, managing director of School Transport Services, which carries more than 72,000 pupils to school across the UAE.

“Technology is great and should be there but along with that our staff should be well-trained. School bus drivers should keep a safe distance, drive carefully and refrain from using their mobile phones while behind the wheel.

“They shouldn’t be negligent and distracted while they’re driving.”

Tawab Kazemi, country director and head of Middle East transportation at Transport Research Laboratory, said public transport should be acknowledged in any road safety strategy.

“Generally speaking, public transport is safer if you consider a million kilometres travelled in a bus compared to cars Even if we’re talking about students, we should shift them to buses because they’re safer,” Mr Kazemi said.

“Imagine 50 parents driving their children to school compared to one school bus carrying them. You’re reducing 50 trips to one, and that is bound to reduce the exposure to accidents.”

The second Natrans Expo is part of Abu Dhabi’s transport master-plan that aims to improve the country’s infrastructure.

“We recognise the importance in helping reduce the deaths on our nation’s roads,” Alex Heuff, from event organiser Fleming’s.

“Accountability lies with both the schools and parents to be better informed on how to keep our school buses and public transport infrastructure safe and secure.”