Alleged deactivation of school bus safety system under inquiry

BUS ÉIREANN last night said that anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are fitted to some of their buses and are operational on those in service.

Their statement follows reports that safety experts are examining whether an ABS system on Bus Éireann school buses is regularly deactivated.

The National Parents’ Council (Post Primary) said parents would be horrified if the allegation proved to be true. They are eager to know if Education Minister Mary Hanafin is aware of the allegation.

The query into the usage of the ABS system has emerged as part of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) inquiry into the Navan bus tragedy in which five school girls were killed in a road accident.

The gardaí, the HSA and Bus Éireann are all conducting separate inquiries into the tragedy, which led to a Department of Education decision to introduce seat belts on school buses and the phased ending of the ‘three for two’ seating system.

Anti-lock braking systems are not a legal requirement on buses, but they are widely believed to enhance the safety of the bus in an emergency situation.

Dr Jim McGovern from Dublin Institute of Technology’s School of Mechanical and Transport Engineering told RTÉ News that it makes a big difference.

“It’s a safety system for a vehicle, like a car or a bus, that allows the car or bus to stop more quickly and under better control of the driver in an emergency situation,” he said.

National Parents Council president Eleanor Petrie said that parents everywhere presumed that “the best possible care is taken of their children while on a school journey”.

“We can only believe that the Minister for Education was not aware of this. We have just welcomed the introduction of seat belts and the abolition of ‘three for two’ and we don’t want to believe that this could happen,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said last night that they could not comment due to the ongoing investigation.