WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1988
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MEASURES TAKEN TO ENSURE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY
THE GOVERNMENT HAD INTRODUCED A NUMBER OF MEASURES IN 1986 TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF SCHOOL PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON ROSANNA TAM, MR LEUNG SAID THAT SINCE JANUARY 1986, ALL SCHOOL PRIVATE BUSES HAD BBEN COMPULSORILY INSPECTED ANNUALLY BEFORE RELICENSING.
DRIVERS WERE ALSO REQUIRED TO HAVE A PRIVATE CAR DRIVING LICENCE FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS BEFORE THEY COULD BE LICENSED TO DRIVE SCHOOL LIGHT BUSES.
UNDER THE ROAD TRAFFIC (TRAFFIC CONTROL) REGULATIONS, DRIVERS HAD TO ENSURE THAT PASSENGERS ENTERED AND LEFT THE VEHICLE IN SAFETY AND THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT CARRY EXCESS PASSENGERS.
HE SAID THAT SINCE 1986 TWO ADDITIONAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS HAD BEEN INTRODUCED FOLLOWING A REVIEW.
FIRST, THESE VEHICLES WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE A YELLOW-STRIPE MARKING ON ALL SIDES AND INCLUDE THE WORDS "SCHOOL PRIVATE LIGHT BUS" IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE.
ON THE REAR, THE SIGN "CHILDREN" MUST BE PLACED IN THE CENTRE OF THE YELLOW-STRIPE.
THE PURPOSE WAS TO IDENTIFY SCHOOL PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES MORE CLEARLY AND THUS WARN OTHER ROAD USERS OF THE LIKELY PRESENCE OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE VICINITY OF THESE VEHICLES.
SECOND, ALL VEHICLES, INCLUDING SCHOOL PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES, WERE REQUIRED TO BE FITTED WITH BLINKING HAZARD LIGHTS TO WARN OTHER ROAD USERS.
MR LEUNG SAID THAT APART FROM THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REGULARLY ISSUED CIRCULARS TO ALL SCHOOLS ON THE PROPER SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN CARRIED IN SCHOOL TRANSPORT.
ON THE NUMBER OF OFFENCES INVOLVING EXCESS PASSENGERS BEING CARRIED BY SCHOOL PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES, MR LEUNG SAID POLICE RECORDS DID NOT SHOW A SEPARATE BREAKDOWN FOR SUCH BUSES.
THE NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS BY SUMMONS AGAINST DRIVERS OF THE BROADER CATEGORY OF PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES WAS VERY SMALL
1985 FOUR IN
AND NONE SINCE 1986.
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IN TERMS OF FIXED PENALTIES, POLICE RECORDS ONLY SHOWED SUCH OFFENCES FOR ALL VEHICLES.
COMMITTED BY DRIVERS
OF
SCHOOL
TO
BE
THE NUMBER OF SUCH OFFENCES PRIVATE LIGHT BUSES WAS NOT READILY AVAILABLE BUT WAS BELIEVED RELATIVELY SMALL, MR LEUNG ADDED.
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