Road Town, Tortola - The Ministry of Communications and Works is soliciting the involvement of the community to ensure that the Territory’s students are safe en route to and from school.

School administrators and parents are being encouraged to ensure that the persons responsible for transporting children to school are in compliance with the law.

Currently the ministry is putting measures in place to ensure that school busses are clearly identified. The Road Traffic Taxi Cab Regulations of 1993 mandates that motor vehicles used for transporting school children shall carry on the front and rear of the vehicle, a sign approved by the Chief Licensing Officer, not being less than 18 inches in diameter and clearly and visibly displaying the words “School Bus” in red letters on a white background.

“This law has been on the books since 1993 and has evidently not been enforced, and this certainly cannot continue to prevail. School bus operators are therefore urged to ensure that they are in compliance with the law,” Minister for Communications and Works, Honourable Julian Fraser, RA told the Department of Information and Public Relations.

“As we strive to promote driver safety in compliance with the road traffic legislations of the country, the ministry is also asking motorists to come to a complete stop and avoid passing a clearly identified school bus that is stopping for children,” Minister Fraser continued.

“We cannot continue to place our children in danger by this action, therefore we are seeking the assistance of the community to reduce this risk by stopping when a school bus stops and refrain from passing the school bus when it is picking up or dropping off children,” the minister concluded.

School Bus operators are hereby warned of the consequences for failure to comply with the Road Traffic Cab Regulations of 1993. The ministry continues to promote driver safety in compliance with the road traffic legislations of the Territory.