Mother of crash victim backs safety calls as school bus legislation announced
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins on Monday announced her intention for a law to prohibit the overtaking of school buses which have stopped to drop off or pick up passengers.
Bereaved families were at Parliament Buildings on Monday to back an Opposition motion calling for stronger safeguarding measures at school bus stops, including requiring vehicles to stop for school buses and around road layouts.
SDLP leader Clare Hanna said her party brought the motion, after meeting with bereaved families and safety campaigners following recent as well as less recent tragedies.
She said it is clearly not a political campaign, and that they were glad to use Opposition Day time to work to achieve something meaningful for the bereaved families.
Stella McMullan, whose daughter Caitlin-Rose died after being hit by a car when exiting her school bus in March near Castledawson, Co Londonderry, said she also wants to see improvements in bus safety, including safe places on road sides.
'My daughter unfortunately lost her life 88 days ago getting off her school bus,' she said.
She said as well as targeting drivers, she also wanted to highlight places where school children get off buses where there is no footpath or bus shelters.
'My daughter died on a 60mph road where there was no footpath, no shelter and basically got off the bus on to a grass verge, so the bus pass she was issued was, I thought, a death sentence looking back now,' she said.
'I am here today to try and get the bus safety message out there, into schools, into the kids' minds, drivers and for every mother and father to talk to their kids about bus safety.
'Had there been bus safety in place, maybe I wouldn't have lost my daughter. That's where I am coming from today.'
Bob Hogg, whose daughter Caitlin died in December 2022, two days after being struck after disembarking a bus near Kinawley, Co Fermanagh.
'We're very encouraged today that this motion has been brought forward, not just from a legislative perspective but hopefully this increases the general awareness in relation to school bus safety for all our kids,' he said.
Ms Kimmins said road safety 'is a priority for me', adding recent tragic events have 'highlighted the need for all of us to be cognisant of the safety of children when they are getting on or off school buses'.
'Having asked officials within the department to explore the issue, it is now my intention to introduce legislation which will prohibit the overtaking of school buses,' she said.
'It is incumbent on drivers to take extra care around buses, and this was highlighted by my department's most recent advertising campaign.
'However, I believe strengthening the law around this issue is an important step in further improving safety for children here.
'I have met grieving families and heard their heartbreaking stories. I am committing to introducing legislation to help prevent more lives being devastated.
'Whilst legislation is being prepared, there are actions we can all take that will help us reach our goal – take more care on the roads, slow down and ignore our mobile phones.'
She added that her department is using other measures to improve road safety including 20mph zones around schools and work on the delivery of the Graduated Driver Licensing scheme.
She also confirmed measures will be put in place to reinforce existing policy around the proper use of signs and lights on buses carrying children to and from school.
Under these new measures, fixed penalty notices will be issued to drivers who fail to operate these lights as required.
It is intended that these new fixed penalties will be available for use by the beginning of the new school term in September.
During Assembly question time on Monday, Ms Kimmins spoke on another aspect of road safety related to young people – the introduction of 20mph speed limits outside schools.
The minister said zones had been introduced at 233 schools in Northern Ireland as part of a phased initiative in recent years, but she said she ultimately wanted to get to a place where all schools were protected by the speed reduction measures.
'We have to ensure that we're mitigating in every possible way against the risks that present on our roads every single day and particularly around our school children who want to get to and from school safely,' she said.
DUP MLA and Stormont Infrastructure Committee chairwoman Deborah Erskine welcomed the announcement from the minister.
'This is a vital step in protecting our children as they travel to and from school,' she said.
'Far too often, we have seen reckless behaviour around school buses that puts young lives at risk. In my own constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, we have experienced the devastating impact of such tragedies.
' Families have been left heartbroken by the loss of children.
'It was particularly poignant to see families who have suffered such loss present at today's announcement. Their persistence has helped bring this issue to the fore, and they deserve our deepest thanks.'
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