The authorities of Loreto Day School, Elliot Road, on Tuesday asked pool car drivers and owners to drive responsibly and strictly follow traffic rules to ensure children’s safety.
Pool car drivers, however, blamed guardians, saying they are often made to wait before children are brought to the vehicle.
The meeting was convened following Monday’s accident outside Fort William, in which three of the 10 children travelling in a pool car were injured. A Class VI student suffered a head injury and required stitches.
“It appears that on Monday the pool car jumped a red signal before colliding with another car. We told them specifically that even if they are running late, they should not rush, speed, or jump signals while carrying children. The pool car drivers said they want children to come out of their homes earlier so they can reach school 15 to 20 minutes in advance, but parents do not cooperate,” a Loreto official said.
The school reiterated that children’s safety is paramount and that traffic rules must never be violated, even if drivers are running late, another official said.
Police said the pool car driver allegedly jumped a traffic signal before the vehicle was hit on its left side by a car near the East Gate of Fort William. The impact caused the pool car to tip onto its right side, shattering the windshield. The accident occurred at the intersection of Dufferin Road and Red Road around 7.30am on Monday.
The school had asked all pool car owners to attend Tuesday’s meeting, which was addressed by the principal and a secretary.
Not all owners attended.
“Some of them could not turn up because they were busy ferrying children to other schools. The school has therefore asked them to attend a meeting with the principal on Saturday,” said Nandini Bhattacharjee, education director, Loreto South Asia.
Bhattacharjee said the pool car owners and drivers who attended requested the school to speak to parents about being punctual when drivers arrive to pick up children.
“The drivers said that even if they have to wait for three minutes outside one house, the ripple effect is 30 minutes. The children then get worried about being marked late and pester the driver to speed,” Bhattacharjee said.
At most schools, the approach road remains choked with vehicles for 15 to 20 minutes before classes begin.
Private cars and pool cars arrive almost simultaneously, creating traffic snarls that slow both vehicles and pedestrians.
“Most parents who send their children to school in pool cars do not realise the extent of the morning traffic congestion outside the school. Even if school starts at 8am, covering the last stretch takes much longer at that time. We will be addressing parents so that children reach school by 7.45am,” a Loreto official said.
The school has also asked pool car owners and drivers to submit copies of the driver’s licence, Aadhaar card and the vehicle’s fitness certificate.
It has circulated a format seeking each child’s name, class, section and an emergency contact number.
Pool car owners have been asked to submit a copy of the information to the school and keep another copy in the vehicle along with other documents.
On Monday, a Class X student borrowed a local resident’s phone to call her mother and inform her about the accident. The mother then alerted the school.
Many of the 10 children involved in the accident did not attend school on Tuesday, a school official said. Two of the three injured students attended classes. The Class VI girl who suffered a head injury was recuperating at home, and teachers visited her.