How do countries monitor students on school buses?

(Illustration: BBC).

America

In the US, states have regulations that are different in form but have the same purpose of preventing drivers from forgetting students in the car after the trip ends.

The California School Bus Safety Act requires all school buses to be equipped with a child safety alert system. This is a button located at the back of the bus.

Before ending their shift and exiting the bus, bus drivers must check all seats and press the button above to verify. Additionally, California law requires bus drivers to complete an annual inspection training course before receiving a school bus driver’s license.

In Texas, school buses are required to have a child safety alarm system that prompts the driver to check the vehicle for children before leaving and lock the vehicle.

Thailand

According to Pattaya Mail, Thailand in 2022 introduced a smart system to prevent the risk of children getting stuck in school buses.

Specifically, the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA) has provided an application to help schools and parents monitor the status of students on the bus.

The Smart School Bus app is equipped with a GPS system to track the location of the vehicle, students and an artificial intelligence (AI) system to process and report information such as vehicle speed, condition and status of children on board.

Student information is sent to parents via an app. Parents will receive notifications when the bus approaches their home, when their child gets off the bus at school, and when their child arrives home.

The app is also equipped with motion sensors that work in conjunction with tracking devices to detect any children left in vehicles. Schools can call the vehicle directly to communicate with stranded students.

Korea

According to the Korea Times , in 2019, after a number of incidents of children being left on buses, South Korea tightened regulations to prevent recurrence.

Specifically, South Korea passed a law requiring all school buses to install a monitoring system to check if any students are left on the bus.

The driver must press this system after parking. Since the button is located at the back of the car, the driver is forced to get out to check if there are any people in the car.

If the driver does not activate the system within three minutes of turning off the engine, an alarm will sound. Drivers who fail to comply will face fines of up to 130,000 won ($115).

China

In China,education authorities require school bus operators to take responsibility and conduct head counts to ensure no one is left behind on board.

Drivers are also advised to park in the shade if possible and take steps to ensure good ventilation and a comfortable temperature while driving.

In addition, some Chinese bus operators also install alarm systems and cameras on vehicles to monitor, detect, and handle unusual situations.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/cac-nuoc-giam-sat-hoc-sinh-tren-xe-bust-dua-don-toi-truong-the-nao-20240530165312267.htm