At around 7 am yesterday, a school bus transporting 59 kids in Shunde’s Lihu district was struck from the left by a freight truck as it went to pass through an intersection.
Thirty-seven kids, a teacher and the bus driver were sent to hospital and no serious injuries were reported. Photos of the accident show the freight truck was left with more damage than the school bus. According to Southern Metropolis Daily, 7 kids were still in hospital this morning and police have yet to determine liability for the accident.
Guangzhou began rolling out American-style school buses this year with a seating capacity of 54 and, some say, are built according to the highest safety standards for school buses in China. See photos and specs of the new buses here.
Also, a draft of new school bus safety regulations was announced yesterday and will be published next month for public feedback.
In the draft, proposals are made to give school buses the right of way in traffic, allowing them to use lanes reserved for city buses during pickup and drop off hours, making it illegal to pass a school bus while kids are boarding or alighting, and to make the use of security cameras in buses mandatory. It also discusses different options for funding maintenance and operation of buses as well as increasing routes for kids in rural areas.
