Traffic Norms for Schools

Mohammed Younus :

In the light of accidents involving children, mostly near school premises the traffic police department along with the school education department has stipulated certain fresh norms for school managements. Besides deploying additional traffic police officials, the department has asked school managements to deploy school cadets or students leaders for traffic management during peak hours.

Most of the nearly 3,000 schools in the city are following the traffic police instructions and deploying volunteers headed by Physical Education Teachers (PETs) during the opening and closing times of the schools. Traffic Police Additional Commissioner Jitendar said lack of awareness about road safety norms among school children was resulting in accidents, including some fatal. “In the past two years, few accidents involving school children have shattered the conscience of people and traffic department has taken it up as a challenge to bring about a meaningful change,” he said.

The additional commissioner (traffic) said, “Schools need to have open space for parking, display sign boards of school zone, zebra crossing in front of schools, speed level signs, no horn zone besides checking the health of the school vehicle driver regularly.” As per the norms school buses must have first aid box, safety grills at windows, an escort and no extra seating be permitted in the bus.

Apart from this the traffic police have been training the school children and staff about safety precautions on roads. In the year 2014-15 about 1.20 lakh school kids have been trained during the previous year and it is still going on. Traffic Police Inspector M Srinivasulu of Traffic Training Institute said that general signs of traffic, norms, rules and precautions are taught to the school kids. Besides this several hundred parents and guardians have also been trained on traffic rules.

District Education Officer (DEO) of Hyderabad B Somi Reddy said that the education department gives permission only after the traffic police clearances are issued. If we find any discrepancy in the implementation of traffic norms stipulated by traffic police we take proper action against the erring school managements. “We send notices to the schools and give them time to resurrect the discrepancy, in case of regular offence the permission of the schools may be cancelled”, said Somi Reddy.

Norms for schools

-Schools with large open spaces should allow the parking inside

-They should erect sufficient number of traffic signage boards

-As per the provisions of State Public Safety (measures) enforcement Act – 2013, the managements have to provide access control measures including IP based CCTV for effective regulation/monitoring/ensuring safety of children

-Autorickshaws must not to carry more than 6 children

-Schools to inform parents through a circular

-Review during parents meeting

Other figures
Number of schools in city	3,037
Number of school children	10.47 lakh
Number of vehicles	32 lakh
Population of city	About 90 lakh

Special drive
Autos carrying excess children	1,794 cases booked
Under-age driving	81
Counselling	8,814