Ensure students' safety in school buses: ROP

Muscat: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) has launched a media campaign to ensure the safety of students travelling in school buses, especially to prevent the often reported problem of children left behind in vehicles. According to a statement from the officials, the police presence has been stepped up near schools and roads leading to schools to monitor the movement of vehicles and solve traffic congestion. “The police will not spare any violations reported against those involved in transportation of children,” it added. The ROP has urged bus drivers to make sure that no child is left behind in the buses at the end of trips to and from their homes to avoid any suffocation-related incidents. It warned that mere five minutes will be enough to suffocate a child if left alone inside a bus or a closed car in high temperatures. The police also called for the need to carry out regular maintenance of school buses due to the risks of technical and mechanical failures, including vehicle fires . Meanwhile, a report by a leading automobile brand in the Middle East, said: “A common and dangerous practice, leaving children unattended in cars with windows rolled up has resulted in numerous critical injuries and fatal cases over the years.” Studies have shown that children’s bodies tend to heat up three to five times faster than adults, while children are also incapable of cooling themselves down. “The negative effects of extreme temperature on children have been further confirmed by pediatric associations worldwide, with children often falling victim to hyperthermia dehydration and other risks that can be fatal,” the report said.