Teachers, institution heads responsible if vehicles for school trips violate safety norms: Kerala High Court

The court rued the fact that vehicles flouting these safety regulations were being used for educational tours and at the apathy that teachers seemed to have towards the safety of students
Image of parked school buses for representational purpose only | (Pic: Express)
Image of parked school buses for representational purpose only | (Pic: Express)

The gruesome bus accident that led to the death of nine students from Kerala last week has caused the state's High Court to take a tough stance on ensuring that vehicles that students travel in do not flout safety norms. 

On Monday, October 10, the High Court ordered law enforcement agencies to collect details of educational institutions found using contract carriages for trips unlawfully, and take the required action, reported TNIE. Additionally, the court added that the head of the educational institution and the teacher in charge will also be liable if they allow students to travel in vehicles that flout safety norms.

“In case any contract carriage is found in public place in connection with the educational tours of the college and school students, the enforcement officer concerned or the police shall collect the details of the head of the institution and also the teacher who is in charge of the tour,” observed the court in the light of Vadakkenchery accident, according to the report by TNIE.

The court said that educational institutions should take care not to permit vehicles that flout the prescribed safety norms under the Motor Vehicles Act to even enter their institution premises for any reason. 

Further, the educational institutions are required to report to the station house officer and the enforcement officer should such a violation occur. The court rued the fact that vehicles flouting these safety regulations were being used for educational tours and said that it hinted at the apathy that teachers seemed to have towards the safety of their students. 

Ultimatum issued
In fact, the Division Bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice P G Ajithkumar issued an ultimatum to the police and motor vehicle department to ensure that no contract carriages and other vehicles that flout statutory norms are used in public places.

To ensure that the regulations are met, the enforcement officers of the motor vehicle department and the police should conduct periodic inspections at night and take coercive steps including cancellation of the fitness certificates of the vehicles found violating the safety regulations and driving licenses of the drivers, said the court. 

The court also took a stance against the unauthorised fitting of high-volume audio systems in the vehicles and said that the owners of the contract carriages who make such alterations in these vehicles at the cost of several lakh rupees and the agency involved in installing such audio systems should also face action from law enforcement. 

The High Court has also warned influencers and vloggers on social media to refrain from promoting such vehicles and said that the transport commissioner should ensure such videos are not uploaded on social media.

On Wednesday, October 5, nine students from Baselios Vidyanikethan Senior Secondary School in Ernakulam, Kerala, lost their lives and several were left injured when the private vehicle they were travelling in for a school trip lost control and hit a KSRTC bus from behind, while allegedly overspeeding and trying to overtake a car. 

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