18 schoolchildren injured in Jaipur crash: How safe is school transport in Rajasthan?

SS Staff

A school bus is meant to be one of the safest parts of a child’s journey. But the accident in Jaipur district has once again raised a question that parents often ask but rarely get a clear answer to: how safe are children on the road between home and school?

As many as 18 schoolchildren were injured after a speeding Scorpio collided head-on with a school bus in Jobner on Saturday. The impact caused the bus to overturn, and the injured children were taken to nearby hospitals.

The accident will now be investigated to establish what caused the collision. But beyond this particular incident lies a larger question: how seriously is Rajasthan enforcing the safety rules meant to protect children travelling in school vehicles?

Rules exist. Enforcement matters

School transport is governed by safety requirements covering vehicle fitness, permits, drivers and other safeguards. Guidelines also provide for measures such as GPS tracking, identification of drivers and helpers, speed control and regular vehicle checks.

But compliance on paper does not necessarily mean safety on the road.

A bus may have GPS but nobody may be monitoring its speed. A vehicle may have a valid fitness certificate but still develop a mechanical problem. A driver may have the required licence but could still overspeed or drive while fatigued.

What matters is whether these safety checks are actually being carried out every day. What happens when the bus is moving? Technology can make school transport safer, but only when it is actively used. If a school bus repeatedly crosses the prescribed speed limit, does the school receive an alert? Is the driver questioned? Does the transport operator face action?

The same applies to CCTV, GPS and emergency systems. Installing equipment is only the first step. Regular monitoring and action when violations are detected are what make these systems useful. Schools cannot outsource responsibility. Many schools depend on private operators for student transport. But outsourcing the service cannot mean outsourcing responsibility.

Schools need to regularly verify drivers, check vehicle fitness, monitor routes and ensure buses are not overcrowded. First-aid kits and emergency equipment should also be checked periodically. Parents, meanwhile, should have access to basic information about the driver, vehicle and safety arrangements used to transport their children. A daily journey deserves the same attention

The Jobner crash should not be treated simply as another road accident. It should prompt schools, transport operators and enforcement agencies to examine the entire school-transport chain — from driver verification and training to vehicle fitness, speed monitoring, GPS, CCTV and emergency response.
The important question is whether these safeguards are actually working when children are on the road.
For parents, the school day begins long before the first lesson. It begins when their child boards the bus.
That journey deserves the same attention to safety as the classroom itself.

What school transport safety needs
GFX Source Indian Express

Regular verification and training of drivers.

Periodic vehicle fitness and safety checks.

Functional GPS and speed monitoring.

Working CCTV and emergency systems.

Properly maintained first-aid kits.

Monitoring of routes and overcrowding.

Clear accountability between schools and transport operators.

Prompt action when safety rules are violated.