Investigation following two bus accidents as children arrive at school in Rincón de la Victoria

“The bus reversed, creating a situation that could have had far more serious consequences,” the school has said, describing the sequence of events. The impact of the first crash knocked down part of a wall and a fence; the entrance has been rendered unusable for the time being.

In both incidents, as reported by eyewitnesses, the buses were empty, with the engine running and, apparently, the handbrake engaged and the driver out of the vehicle. “It was completely out of control,” they say, in a place where there were dozens of people, mostly young children.

“It makes me shudder to think about it,” says Ana Estébanez, chair of the El Castillo parents’ association, which represents the families of Martín Gaite. The fact is that this dangerous situation raises fears about other possible outcomes: “Imagine if the bus were full of children and someone were to step out in front of it…”

A letter from the parents’ association has been sent to the education authority, in which, on the one hand, explanations are demanded and on the other, preventative measures are called for.

Parents are calling for reassurance regarding the condition and maintenance of the buses and to find out whether this was a case of human error; they want to know whether there is a technical, organisational or other problem and most importantly, they want immediate solutions to be put in place to ensure safety when pupils arrive at and leave the school.

One of the key points highlighted by Inma, another of the mothers who witnessed both incidents, is that the street in the town centre is steep, which makes it more difficult for a vehicle weighing over 15 tonnes and carrying 50 passengers to manoeuvre.

The parents’ association has called for a meeting with those responsible for education and school transport, attended by families, to receive all the information gathered about what happened and to put forward some proposals to ensure that such a situation is not repeated. Among the ideas currently under consideration are changing the bus arrival time or the time the gates open and increasing the presence of the local police.

The education department has made it clear that the incidents involved two different vehicles and drivers and that, fortunately, no one was injured. They add that they have already received the report requested from the bus company in question, which details "the circumstances, the findings and the measures taken by the company".

The document, they explain, states that no mechanical faults have been detected in the vehicles and therefore, "the incidents are believed to be linked to the drivers’ incorrect use of the handbrake".

The Andalusian regional government has made it clear that all the data must be analysed before any conclusions are drawn. “The safety of pupils is the top priority and in light of the reports and the checks carried out, any necessary measures will be taken to ensure that the service is provided in full compliance with all required safety standards,” they conclude.

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