One-third of school buses fined by DGT

In a five-day January campaign, in which school transport was targeted, Spanish authorities clocked a staggering 1,781 infractions of the 2,799 vehicles that were checked.

Between January 22 and 26, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), in collaboration with the Guardia Civil, embarked on a rigorous inspection campaign which targeted school and children’s transportation services.

Widespread non-compliance discovered

The operation revealed that a significant number of vehicles failed to meet legal standards. Out of 2,799 vehicles inspected, 1,014 faced penalties, resulting in a total of 1,781 contraventions.

The majority of these were due to administrative oversights, such as 629 vehicles lacking the necessary special authorisation for school transport and 330 missing essential unlimited liability insurance.

Safety and legal violations

In terms of safety, the inspectors noted that only twelve vehicles were not utilising their seat belts due to malfunctions.

None of the school transport drivers were found to have alcohol in their systems, although six did test positive for other drugs. Speeding was another concern, with 22 drivers penalised for exceeding limits.

Technical and regulatory breaches

The inspections also highlighted technical issues, including 59 vehicles with defective service and emergency doors and 15 without a current Technical Vehicle Inspection.

Additionally, 84 vehicles were missing the mandatory V-10 school transport sign, and 14 lacked the necessary emergency light device.

The campaign further identified 36 drivers for not having a designated children’s supervisor on board and 26 for infringing driving time regulations.

This comprehensive surveillance effort underscores the urgent need for stringent adherence to transport regulations, ensuring the safety of our youngest commuters.