One-armed school van driver arrested

25 January 2012 04:41 pm - 21 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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In a move to take on errant school-van drivers, the Cinnamon Gardens police arrested a van driver without an arm who was found transporting school children to Colombo from Kotugoda in Ekala.

His left arm had been severed from the elbow, the police said. Police media spokesman Ajith Rohana said parents should be more cautious about such drivers.

“It is unfortunate that the parents who were travelling in the van had not informed the authorities even though they knew he was without an arm,” he said.

At a discussion with some 1,200 school van drivers, the police suggested that they should be more than 30 years of age and should be in uniform.

Police also suggested that the drivers should have a license which was more than five years old.

The move to regulate school vans comes a week after eight school children were injured when their school van and a bus collided head-on at Mount Lavinia.

The van was driven by a 21-year- old with a temporary driving license.

After the accident there were several calls from various quarters asking that only road-worthy vehicles be used for school transport and that the van drivers be closely monitored.

The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) is currently working along with the Ministry of Transport and Private Transport Services Ministry to regulate school vans.

Some 224 school children between the ages of one to 19 were killed while 4,133 children were injured in road accidents last year. (Supun Dias)

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Comments - 21

piyal Thursday, 26 January 2012 04:53 AM

OK first of all Parents should be fined for this without blaming any body we have not heard anything like this before especially transporting kids - if something happens then parents blaim the police saying why they could not catch the driver before the incident - this is extreme brainless act and these parents cannot be called parents thats for sure

Roy Rogers Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:10 PM

even drivers with two arms intact are driving careless nowadays, a driver with only one arm?????, how did he managed to drive all these days???

Dee Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:55 AM

Pedestrians abiding by the law walking in single file, use pedestrian crossing or overhead bridge, using proper side of road (which can see incoming traffic) are an asset and should bve worshipped.
Those who jaywalk in multiple files, on the wrong side crossing where ever they wish (ie: near bust stands and train stations) are certainly an annoyance and can do without then.

faqi Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:41 AM

Why did the Police arrest this driver did he break any traffic rules or have an accident? The mere fact he has only one arm is not a crime, at least he was gainfully employed. There are many one armed drivers in many countries. If he was a careful driver,he should be allowed to earn his living without harassing him. The Police should have better things to do like catching real criminals.

chithranganie Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:15 AM

Driver is armless - Parents of the children who travelled in this van are brainless.

oops!!! Thursday, 26 January 2012 07:02 AM

how did he even get a licence??

cxcb Thursday, 26 January 2012 06:37 AM

Armless is not a crime. There are armless drivers driving around their own family members. There are vehicles can be modified to cater their driving.They have their own instinct and ability to man the vehicle as armed people. Unless medically or mentally declined about his ability.

mohammed Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:40 AM

Unless bribe wiped out from POLICE dept this kind of things are unavoidabel

loku Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:25 AM

It just boggles the mind!

loku Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:24 AM

Adults walking on the road? Along most roads and streets in this country, the side of the road is the only place WE have to walk. The current widening of streets and roads is wonderful, but the planners forgot to consider the pedestrians. In fact, the poor pedestrian is considered nothing more than an annoyance by most drivers.

Nodrog Thursday, 26 January 2012 05:24 AM

Some countries would consider this as child abuse for endangering the lives of the kids. The driver may have been good but to drive here you requires a lot of effort just to avoid other reckless drivers.

Rosh Wednesday, 25 January 2012 04:57 PM

Driver armless, and the stupid parents who sent their kids with him????

Ram Thursday, 26 January 2012 04:09 AM

Well said.

gonAliya Thursday, 26 January 2012 02:23 AM

There are brainless drivers also

sunil hk Thursday, 26 January 2012 02:06 AM

This is negligible .. just see how many brainless ministers are in the cabinet!

Ken Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:41 AM

Land like no other!!

Lanka Thursday, 26 January 2012 01:08 AM

Need to hold the parents responsible and fine them !

Nodrog Thursday, 26 January 2012 12:48 AM

Amazing! And the parents still sent their kids in this van knowing the driver was one-handed?

Johan S Wednesday, 25 January 2012 06:20 PM

This fellow drove better than most two armed drivers on the road.

Johan S Wednesday, 25 January 2012 06:17 PM

"Some 224 school children between the ages of one to 19 were killed while 4,133 children were injured in road accidents last year."

Even 1 death is bad, 224 is just terrible. We must not be expected to tolerate it. But that number doesn't tell us whether school vans had anything to do with those deaths. I'll bet many of those deaths could have been prevented if there were barriers between pedestrians and road traffic (not to mention better roads). And heavy penalties for adult pedestrians who walk on the road alongside or within traffic -- setting a bad example of "cultural norm" for kids.

Fair N SquareFair N Wednesday, 25 January 2012 06:06 PM

Have these drivers do a medical annually...including vision test not forgetting a check on their criminal records...We all know too well of child abuse cases involving school van drivers... Childrens innosence NEED to be protected....

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One-armed school van driver arrested

Comments - 21

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