Traffic police officers in the Surkhandarya region stopped a Damas minivan in the city of Termez and discovered 21 children being transported in the passenger compartment. The regional traffic safety department reported the incident. According to the driver, the children were being taken to kindergarten No. 16, and he claimed to have a contract with the kindergarten for transporting children. Traffic police officers stopped several passenger vehicles and delivered the children to the kindergarten in accordance with regulations.
Legal measures were taken against the driver. The head of the institution was informed about the dangerous consequences of transporting children in such a manner. The driver stated that the parents were aware of and had agreed to this arrangement. He was told that such violations could lead to traffic accidents. The collected documents were sent to the regional Department of School and Preschool Education for information.
Transporting kindergarten pupils in violation of safety rules in 4–7-seat vehicles is widespread in Uzbekistan. Earlier, in September, 16 kindergarten children were found being transported in a Damas in the Gulistan district of the Syrdarya region, and in August, 28 children were found in the Tashlak district of the Fergana region. In practice, such cases result in an administrative protocol being drawn up against the driver under Article 128−8 of the Code of Administrative Responsibility. This article imposes a fine of 2 basic calculation units for violating the rules of passenger transportation.
Such violations in transporting children have sometimes led to severe consequences. In particular, in May, a Matiz carrying 14 kindergarten children crashed in the Nurota district. The driver was the head of a family kindergarten who did not have a driver's license. As a result of the accident, a woman died and children were hospitalized with various injuries. In addition, in the Khojaabad district of the Andijan region, a driver transporting 21 kindergarten children in a Tracker caused a traffic accident. As a result, a 6-year-old girl died and seven other children were injured. The court sentenced the driver to 3 years of restricted freedom and deprived him of the right to drive vehicles for 2 years.
These incidents raise serious concerns about child safety. Although agreements between kindergartens and parents may be legal, current transportation practices often fail to meet safety requirements. Despite control efforts by traffic police, the problem is becoming systemic. Competent authorities need to take measures to regulate and strengthen oversight of child transportation services.
Source: www.gazeta.uz