With the rising number of accidents involving school buses in the recent past, the traffic police are planning to launch their first-of-its-kind movement across schools to train their bus drivers about safety practices that need to be followed while ferrying children. Titled 'Safe drives to schools', the programme will be rolled out in association with a social enterprise called iCare Life.B K Upadhyay, joint commissioner of police, traffic said, "School buses are being driven rashly and many accidents have been reported recently. We want the drivers to start being sensitive and take responsibility."

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On Tuesday, the department, along with representatives from iCare Life, will be meeting principals from over 75 schools. A representative from iCare Life said, "Our idea is to train over 50,000 drivers in 4,000 schools. We will be training drivers on defensive driving, traffic rules, etc. through technology and animation."The idea is also to bring school authorities, drivers and children under one platform and discuss the challenges they face everyday while commuting. "Safety is our prerogative and this is possible only if schools create awareness among drivers and cleaners. The school should impose strict norms when it comes to recruiting drivers," said Upadhyay. He said the department will also work towards strengthening penalty for school bus drivers who commit an offence.Recent accidents involving school buses:1) Asim Shaikh, 12, died after he came under a Don Bosco School bus in Vikhroli on November 112) Pranav Barbhai, 11, was run over by an R N Podar School bus in Juhu while he was riding his bicycle home on November 83) Harsh Jaypal Durga, 9, was injured after St Mary's School's bus hit him in Oshiwara on September 114) Farhan Khan, 9, was run over by a speeding bus owned by G M School while crossing the road in Oshiwara on September 10.5) In June, the school bus of Podar International School dashed into a tree as the driver could not push the brakes.

6) A mini-school bus carrying kinder garden students caught fire on SV Road near Andheri station at around 12 noon on December 14. No one was injured.